Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson’s Age Gap Romance Mocked During ESPYs 2026

Marcello Hernández showed off his comedic chops while hosting the 2026 ESPY Awards — and nobody was safe from his jokes.

The Saturday Night Live star, 28, opened the Wednesday, July 15, ceremony — held at David H. Koch Theater in New York City’s Lincoln Center — with a good-natured monologue filled with sports-centric jokes. He started off by mocking Tiger Woods following the golfer’s recent DUI arrest in Florida.

“I want to congratulate Caleb Williams, the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, who will be on the cover of the new Madden video game,” Hernández began. “Congratulations to Caleb — and Tiger Woods will be on the cover of Grand Theft Auto.”

The comedian also used a reference to the New York Knicks’ recent NBA Championship win for a dig about Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick‘s 48-year age gap with girlfriend Jordon Hudson.

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“The Knicks won their first [NBA] championship since 1973. To put it into perspective how long ago that was, in 1973, hockey players didn’t wear helmets,” Hernández pointed out. “Basketball had no three-point line and, in 1973, Bill Belichick was the age his girlfriend [Jordon Hudson] is now.”

When he was met with a tense response, the comedian replied, “That’s where you all draw the line?”

Boxer and influencer Jake Paul was also zinged, with Hernández quipping, “I must say it’s an honor to be here among so many incredible athletes … and Jake Paul, Jake, that’s just a joke. Don’t fight me. My dad and my stepdad are here and they’re both over 50 and I know that’s how you like ‘em.”

He even took a shot at last year’s ESPYS host Shane Gillis, whose hosting stint was divisive with viewers.

“I want to shout out last year’s host, Shane Gillis, who is watching this show like a true American,” Hernández said. “On his couch, drinking a beer while a Hispanic guy does his job.”

Prior to Hernández’s monologue, the ESPYs ceremony opened with a musical performance of “Show Starts Now” by the Savannah Bananas.

In June, ESPN announced that Hernández would make his hosting debut at the 2026 ESPYs. (He was announced as the “first-time and therefore undefeated host” during Wednesday’s show.)

“I started doing comedy 10 years ago in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” he said in a statement at the time. “It is an honor and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYs this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”

“Marcello is one of the most electric young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year’s ESPYs,” added Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and ESPYs executive producer. “We are excited to partner with him to celebrate the best moments in sports and look forward to the fresh take he’ll bring to the show.”

Hernández’s sports background extends back to his days as a collegiate soccer player at John Carroll University in Ohio. He ultimately quit during his sophomore year to pursue comedy after attempting to juggle classes in the day and soccer practice and comedy clubs at night.

“I had to tell my team with tears in my eyes that I’m quitting,” he recalled in a USA Today interview earlier this month. “That drove me to work hard because I was like, ‘If I’m going to quit something that I’m kind of good at, I should get really good at this new thing.’”

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According to Hernández, he’s “probably better now at comedy than I ever was at soccer.”

His decision to chase his comedy dreams paid off as he’s become a breakout star on Saturday Night Live since joining the NBC sketch series in 2022. Despite leaving soccer in his rearview, he recognizes the similarities between the sport and the iconic show.

“Soccer’s a full-time job because you’re taking care of your body and I think that SNL is a full-time job because of the schedule, but also you’re taking care of your mind, you’re trying to write stuff,” he said. “It’s a much more mental game than a physical game but pretty demanding for sure.”

This summer, Hernández has been enjoying the FIFA World Cup action. In June, he took in the Colombia vs. Portugal match in Miami with Matt Damon and John Leguizamo. Rather than stick strictly to sports talk, Hernández used the opportunity to pick Damon’s brain about acting.

“You’re next to Matt Damon for long enough that you’re like, ‘If I don’t say something, I’m an idiot,’” he recounted. “So I ask questions and I try to get some game from him. When I played soccer, if I was ever with somebody that was playing on a better team or older than me, you try to ask them questions.”

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By: Erin Crabtree
Title: Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson’s Age Gap Romance Mocked During ESPYs 2026
Sourced From: www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/marcello-hernandez-digs-at-tiger-woods-dui-at-2026-espys/
Published Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:41:19 +0000