Julian Edelman Says Bill Belichick's 'No Distractions' Message Rings Hollow Amid Public Romance

Former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman on Sunday said coach Bill Belichick's long-standing admonition to players to avoid off-field "distractions" looks hypocritical in light of Belichick's publicly visible relationship with Jordon Hudson.

Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl winner with the Patriots, told PEOPLE that while everyone has a life outside their sport, he remembers being singled out by Belichick for becoming a distraction. "We have got to practice what we preach," Edelman said, adding, "I remember getting yelled at for being a distraction, so I think we're all in the business of eliminating distractions. That's just from what I learned from him."

Edelman's comments come after weeks of media scrutiny surrounding Belichick, who left the NFL to take the head-coaching job at the University of North Carolina. The coach, 73, has been photographed with Hudson on the sideline at Tar Heels games and drew attention following a widely reported CBS interview that observers described as awkward. TMZ reported that Hudson briefly left the interview for roughly 30 minutes.

Daily Mail and other outlets reported that UNC hired Brandon Faber, a former Chicago Bears director of public relations, to manage the fallout from the coverage. Podcasters Charlotte Wilder and Madeline Hill also claimed last month that Hudson had a 13-minute meltdown during a phone conversation that was later recounted publicly.

Hudson was on the North Carolina sideline when the Tar Heels opened the season with a 48-14 loss to TCU. UNC then won at Charlotte 20-3 and beat Richmond 41-6, with Belichick earning his first home win at Chapel Hill. Hudson was photographed with Belichick before a recent home game and was seen interacting with supporters during warmups. UNC is scheduled to play at Central Florida next weekend.

Edelman first voiced concerns about the coach's relationship earlier this year and reiterated them while speaking to national media in the spring, telling host Colin Cowherd that the situation had "snowballed" and become a distraction to the program. His latest remarks echoed that earlier criticism and referenced the contrast between Belichick's public counsel to players and the coach's own conduct.

Belichick and Edelman were teammates during the Patriots' successful run in the 2010s. The coach has not publicly altered his long-standing message about focus and eliminating distractions from team life, and university and team officials have managed public relations as the situation has unfolded. Media reports, direct quotes from Edelman and sightings at UNC games form the basis of accounts about the coach's relationship and its reception among former players and observers.