New England Patriots legend Julian Edelman is speaking out against his former head coach Bill Belichick, calling attention to a principle that Belichick consistently stressed to his players throughout his career.
The ultra-reliable Edelman, who helped guide the Patriots to three Super Bowl victories, criticized the coach for allowing distractions to overshadow his focus on football.
Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Edelman was candid about Belichick’s handling of his personal life and public image.
As the entire world knows, Belichick’s polarizing relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson has produced plenty of bad press.
Their 49-year age gap has drawn significant media attention, but a specific incident involving Hudson during an interview on CBS’s Sunday Morning sparked further controversy.
Hudson interrupted Belichick’s interview to shut down a question about their relationship, leading most to accuse her of becoming a major “distraction” for the coach.
Edelman weighed in on the matter, recalling a time when Belichick would emphasize the importance of staying focused and avoiding distractions in the locker room.
“The No. 1 thing we used to talk about in New England was distractions. ‘Let’s not make distractions. The game’s already as hard as it is. To prepare for it, to play, to coach.’” Edelman said.
“And regardless of what her role is, Jordon, yeah, I thought he got an unfair public opinion on the whole thing, because that happens all the time.
Anytime we do behind-the-scenes this, that, you’ve got someone that represents you, they’re gonna jump in. But now that it’s gained and snowballed to what it’s become right now, where we’re talking about it three weeks later, it’s become a distraction.
“That’s what we all think now. This is becoming a distraction. We gotta practice as we preach here… It’s getting to a point where we’ve got to start worrying about the ACC, we’ve got to start worrying about Dabo Swinney. We shouldn’t be talking about our girlfriend.
“And that’s how coach would say it to us. That’s the truth. When it comes down to running a football organization and playing football, let’s keep the main thing the main thing.”
For Edelman, this situation with Belichick is a reminder of how easily external factors can impact a team’s ability to stay focused and perform.
During his 24-year tenure as the Patriots’ head coach, Belichick famously kept his players tight-lipped and emphasized the importance of avoiding unnecessary distractions.
Yet, with the recent media frenzy surrounding his relationship with Hudson, it seems that Belichick may have forgotten one of his key tenets of success.
Despite the public scrutiny, Edelman believes Belichick and Hudson can still maintain a healthy relationship without letting it affect the coach’s role.
“He can still conduct interviews and make public appearances without unnecessary headlines,” Edelman added.
He also suggested that Belichick could benefit from following his own advice and limiting media exposure.
Needless to say, Belichick’s relationship with Hudson has been quite bizarre, and one thing is for sure – it won’t be quieting down anytime soon.
Edelman has been arguably the most loyal supporter of Belichick through the years. So the fact that he spoke out about this situation is extra telling.
What are your thoughts on the Belichick-Hudson relationship???
