Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and his girlfriend, 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, have been dating for over a year, PEOPLE can confirm.

Belichick, 72, and Hudson, a former cheerleader at Bridgewater State University, have been spotted together on various occasions, igniting rumors of a romance between the ex-NFL coach and Hudson. TMZ was first to report the news of Belichick and Hudson’s romance.

Belichick’s former players, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, both made jokes about their coach’s younger girlfriend during Netflix’s live special, The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady. Gronkowski quipped, “Coach, you used to talk about Foxborough High School when we sucked,” Gronkowski said. “But now I know why you were so obsessed with Foxborough High School: you were scouting your new girlfriend.”

Brady later joined in on the jokes, adding: “When somebody asked me which ring was my favorite, I used to say, ‘The next one,’ ” he said. “Now that I’m retired, my favorite is that Ring camera that caught Coach Belichick slinking out of that poor girl’s house at 6 a.m. a few months ago.” “You still got it! Respect,” Brady added. In September 2023, a source told PEOPLE that Belichick and his longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday had called it quits after 16 years together.

Bill Belichick and Linda Holliday attends Gronk Beach in 2020.

Jason Koerner/Getty

The insider said that the problem in the former couple’s relationship that ultimately led to their split was “not new” and they had been “pretty separate for a while.”

Holliday had dated Belichick since 2007 and served as the president of his Bill Belichick Foundation. “They have issues to clear up that come from a long relationship as well as her role in his professional life,” the source said at the time.

At the time, Belichick was busy and “all about football,” the source said, adding, “He doesn’t want a lot of public attention on this.””He has a lot on his plate, a good family, and he meets people all of the time,” the insider added in September.In January, Belichick and the Patriots “mutually parted ways” after the team had been struggling to win games and Belichick appeared frustrated in media interviews.

Owner Robert Kraft had told ESPN that he was “really disappointed” in the Patriots 2023 season just before Belichick ended his tenure with the team.

“I had hoped things would be a lot better,” Kraft said after the team concluded a 4-13 season, the worst record in the AFC Conference.

Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots stands on the field before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on October 1, 2017.

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When Belichick formally announced his departure, he said, “I’ll always be a Patriot,” during an emotional address. “I look forward to coming back here,” Belichick said, adding, “I’ll always have those great memories. I’ll carry those with me the rest of my life.”