Bill Belichick’s partner, Jordon Hudson, had an unexpected experience backstage with a transgender contestant during her participation in the Miss USA Maine pageant.

Hudson, 24, who finished third in the event held in Portland, is drawing considerable attention due to her connection to the renowned Super Bowl-winning coach. She competed against Isabelle St. Cyr.

Also 24, St. Cyr made history as the first openly transgender participant in the pageant after winning the title of Miss Monson in her hometown in Maine.

The pair each finished in the top ten before she and Belichick were spotted walking out of the pageant with a sour look on the North Carolina coach’s face. 

But amid the whirlwind of the competition, Hudson and St. Cyr were able to have a brief meeting of the minds, according to St. Cyr, who revealed they bonded over their shared media scrutiny. 

‘We had a conversation backstage and we were like, “You know, the media hasn’t necessarily been kind to us,’ she told PEOPLE. 

‘We just kind of talked about how we’ve dealt with it, how to move forward, how to remain positive and when to comment and not to comment.’ 

St. Cyr, who like Hudson was semifinalist but didn’t win the competition, added that Hudson was gracious when talking about dealing with the press. 

‘I really appreciate her willingness to talk to me about the media coverage,’ St. Cyr said.

The transgender pageant contestant was worried about being pitted against Hudson by the media, claiming: ‘That’s how people get clicks.’ 

However, St. Cyr confirmed that ‘there was no bad blood’ between the competitors – who had never met before the contest – and if anything, the meeting with Hudson was beneficial. 

‘It definitely made us both a lot more comfortable going into the pageant that night,’ she said. 

Hudson advised St. Cyr to do her homework before she spoke with the media and to think carefully about ‘when you should be commenting.’

Overall, the vibes between the pair were supporting and neither was willing to make a public spectacle of the other. 

‘I think we both wanted to make it clear that we had nothing to do with it and that we were just happy to be competing. So I was very thankful for that.’

St. Cyr said that Hudson understood ‘that a lot of backlash’ was drawn by both of them.

‘We showed up and competed and we both made it to the second day,’ she said of the pageant itself. 

‘So I think that that shows a lot of what you can do when you don’t let negativity step in front of you and your dream.’

St. Cyr only added media scrutiny to the contest after it was announced she would be competing.

‘When I started cheerleading I had all the odds stacked against me. So much pushback, so many people telling me it wasn’t a space for me,’ St. Cyr wrote in a Facebook post on March 25.

‘But I fought for what I loved and I ended up being a very successful cheerleader, winning state and national titles and inspiring people to join even if they hadn’t been doing it their whole life.

‘I sense a similar trajectory in my ongoing journey with pageants. I believe I have everything it takes to be Miss Maine USA and I know that no amount of experience can match a true passion and drive to accomplish something.’

It comes with Donald Trump’s administration locked in a legal battle with the woke state over its failure to comply with the government’s push to ban transgender athletes in girls and women’s sports.

St. Cyr told Maine’s Total Coverage that she had already entered the pageant before Trump took office. 

Shelby Howell was declared the winner of Miss Maine USA, with Mara Carpenter also finishing ahead of Hudson. 

Hudson and Belichick made a swift exit after she failed to win – with the former cheerleader putting on a brave face and smiling as they pulled away from the hotel.

She was still in her purple evening gown and Hancock sash as she clutched the hand of her lover as they were escorted out of the property from a secluded garage with their bodyguard.

Belichick remained expressionless as they walked the short distance in the underground car park, with the brunette continuing to strut her stuff and wave at the camera.

He was seen scowling at her behind the wheel of the car as she pointed at her bedazzled bag again as they pulled away in the 2025 Mercedes Benz GLE 580, worth $89,200.

However, they both grinned as they waved at their bodyguard for the weekend, flashing peace signs as Bill drove them away from the event.

Jordon declined any interviews, but was quick to thank those who told her that she looked incredible in the purple floor length gown with a slit, paired with silver heels.

It comes after she placed second runner-up (third) in the contest – one place lower than she was in 2024. Her older beau was pictured with her father, Heath, 52, for the first time since their relationship became public.

Before the final placing was announced, she gave an emotional speech in front of her father and Belichick, saying ‘hate never wins’.

The eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach Belichick was escorted in by security before shaking hands with Hudson’s father, and smiling at him ahead of the pageant getting started.

The doting dad was also escorted to the front row seats by the former Navy veteran for the second day of the event, hoping to see his daughter, 24, don the winners tiara.

Jordon was, however, awarded the Style award by the judges with Belichick and her father watching on. It comes after fans questions if Hudson’s parents supported the relationship, despite having an age gap of around 12 years themselves.

But the pair were seen happily chatting ahead of Hudson strutting her stuff on the stage, with sources confirming Belichick has visited her childhood home in Hancock previously.

Despite a special segment of the show dedicated to Mother’s Day, Hudson was the only contestant not to record a message for her mother.

Hudson’s smiling display at the Miss Maine contest comes less than 24 hours after DailyMail.com revealed that she almost quit the contest before it had even begun, amid a backlash against her relationship with Belichick.

Sources close to the ‘headstrong’ 24-year-old cheerleader revealed that she had been thinking about dropping out after the disastrous CBS interview aired of her interrupting on behalf of 49-years-older beau.