North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick’s now infamous interview with Tony Dokoupil and CBS News Sunday Morning provides important lessons about how not to arrange interviews.
As widely reported, Belichick is upset that Dokoupil asked him questions that were on topics not contained in the former New England Patriots coach’s new book, The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football. The book is set to release next Tuesday. In a statement, Belichick claimed that he and his publicist “clearly communicated” that he would sit down for “promotional interviews” only if the interview questions “focused solely on the contents of the book.” Belichick said “that expectation was not honored” by Dokoupil and CBS.
Dokoupil asked Belichick about a couple of sensitive topics.
The first was the remarkable omission of Patriots owner Robert Kraft in a book about Belichick’s coaching career. Kraft hired Belichick twice, first in 1996 as assistant head coach and defensive backs coach under head coach Bill Parcells, and again in 2000 as head coach. Kraft’s hiring in 2000 was highly contentious, since Belichick owed contractual obligations to the New York Jets. Belichick sued the Jets and the NFL—thus putting Kraft in a difficult position with the league—to make it possible for Kraft to hire him.
Belichick went on to win six Super Bowls before he and Kraft parted ways in 2024. Dokoupil asked Belichick how he feels about Kraft saying it was a firing. All told, Belichick was Patriots head coach for 429 regular season and postseason NFL games, during which Belichick amassed a nifty 296-133 record. Kraft was the owner that whole time, yet somehow didn’t net a mention—even a perfunctory thanks—in the book’s 304 pages.
The second topic was how Belichick met his girlfriend Jordon Hudson, who Belichick wrote is his “idea mill and creative muse.” Hudson, who was seated nearby, abruptly interrupted Dokoupil, saying, “We’re not talking about this.”
If Belichick wanted certainty that Dokoupil wouldn’t ask about Hudson (or Kraft), he could have demanded that CBS contractually agree—orally or, better yet, in writing—that the interview only ask about the specific topics addressed in the book.
There is legal precedent for interviewees and interviewers to set enforceable parameters. In the U.S. Supreme Court case Cohen v. Cowles Media (1991), Dan Cohen was a Republican operative who told reporters from the Minnesota Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press Dispatch that, on the condition of anonymity, he would share sensitive documents about a gubernatorial candidate in the 1982 election. The reporters agreed to those terms and Cohen gave them court records showing that Marlene Johnson, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, had been charged with unlawful assembly and petit theft about a dozen years earlier.
Like any good journalist, the reporters investigated the charges. They discovered they were very minor infractions, and that Johnson was hardly a hardened criminal. Most of the charges stemmed from Johnson’s involvement in a protest over minority candidates not being hired for construction jobs. The reporters decided to publish Cohen’s name to illustrate the unsavory methods political operatives utilize to badmouth opponents. Cohen, who was fired after his name was published, sued for breach of contract and promissory estoppel, which is relying to one’s detriment on a promise.
The reporters argued they were protected by the First Amendment and safeguarded by basic journalism principles—they were reporting on a newsworthy topic of interest to readers. Yet the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for Cohen. Writing for the majority, Justice Byron White reasoned that the law still applies in the journalism context and that the relevant legal analysis is quite simple: Cohen offered to share information with reporters if the reporters agreed his name wouldn’t appear in publication. The parties agreed to those terms and the reporters then breached that agreement.
If Belichick could prove that CBS agreed to “focus solely on the contents of the book,” as Belichick put it, he might have a plausible case that CBS breached their deal. However, it could be argued that his mention of Hudson in the book opened the door to a question about how they met.
The circumstances of Belichick meeting Hudson were already known to the public. Last year, TMZ and other media reported that the couple met in 2021 when they were on the same flight. Hudson was a student at Bridgewater State University at the time and was reading a textbook called Deductive Logic. Relevantly here, Belichick’s book doesn’t discuss the topic.
One problem for Belichick arguing breach is that CBS flatly disputes Belichick’s account. In a statement, the network said: “When we agreed to speak with Mr. Belichick, it was for a wide-ranging interview, there were no preconditions or limitations to this conversation. This was confirmed repeatedly with his publisher before the interview took place and after it was completed.” CBS is a major news company. It is unlikely to agree to an interview where the interviewer is restricted from asking questions, especially when the interviewee is trying to hawk his book and especially when the subject matter is already a public matter.
Belichick is also no rookie when it comes to media interviews. He’s one of the most famous coaches in pro sports. Belichick has regularly met with journalists and conducted numerous interviews as part of his coaching responsibilities. This is not a random person who suddenly morphs into a public figure and is naïve about the kinds of questions reporters tend to ask. Belichick is about as seasoned as it gets.
Belichick also knows that his relationship with Hudson is itself newsworthy and a likely source of questioning during an interview. While a 73-year-old dating a 24-year-old is just as legal as a 23-year-old dating a 24-year-old, the 49-year age gap strikes many people as unusual. After all, Belichick is old enough to be Hudson’s grandfather. The relationship has sparked significant media interest, which shouldn’t be surprising to Belichick or Hudson, given that celebrity couples with large age gaps is a well-traveled and popular topic.
Dokoupil and CBS News Sunday Morning as the selected forum are also significant facts. Belichick and his representatives picked a non-sports journalist and a non-sports show for the interview, which they hope will boost book sales. Over the years, Dokoupil has reported on the U.S. war in Afghanistan and the roles played by President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the legalization of marijuana and other topics that have nothing to do with sports. It’s not exactly unforeseeable that Dokoupil would ask Belichick non-sports questions. Similarly, CBS News Sunday Morning has a long track record of interviews with celebrities and public figures where a wide range of questions are posed. That’s not surprising since the show, which has been on air since 1979, is styled as a news magazine.
If Belichick wanted a more controlled and narrowly tailored setting, he could have opted for a different arrangement. He could have taken a page out of LeBron James’ The Decision, which aired on ESPN as a TV special and featured Jim Gray interviewing James. Belichick would have known the interviewer and known the kinds of questions to be asked. Belichick could have also used a more infomercial-style format if he wanted total control. Instead, Belichick opted for a network show, which carries more prestige and authority but is not a forum he can control.
The CBS interview fallout for Belichick will, like most controversies, fade. Another controversy will enter the news cycle and attention will turn away from Belichick and Hudson. Although some have speculated that Belichick and UNC might part ways before he coaches his first Tar Heels game, that seems unlikely. As Sportico reported on Thursday, UNC would owe Belichick $26.7 million if it fired him without cause. Odds are the public university isn’t going to cut ties anytime soon, especially over an awkward interview.
In the end, Belichick might score a “win” with the interview given that it has people talking and writing about him and his book. Don’t be surprised if The Art of Winning is a best seller.
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