Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images/Melina Vastola-Imagn Images
Former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge has certainly done nothing to help quell the widespread belief that football coaches take themselves way too seriously, as he recently compared the current situation at Ole Miss to living next to Aaron Hernandez.
Joe Judge, the current quarterbacks coach for the head coach-less Ole Miss football program, worked for the Patriots as an assistant coach from 2012 to 2019 (and again from 2022-2023), meaning he and Aaron Hernandez overlapped in New England in 2012.
While speaking to the media this week ahead of their CFP semi-final against Miami on Thursday, Judge compared the situation at Ole Miss after ex-head coach Lane Kiffin’s exit for LSU to living next to Aaron Hernandez — who was charged with one murder and indicted on another before eventually committing suicide while in jail.
QB coach Joe Judge says living next door to convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez less chaotic than the current situation at Ole Miss
“My next-door neighbor was Aaron Hernandez — I know this is still more chaotic,” Judge said.
Ole Miss coach Joe Judge when asked about how hectic this week has been: “My next door neighbor was Aaron Hernandez. I know this is more chaotic.”
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) January 7, 2026
Beyond being infamously violent, Hernandez was also a generally unwell, erratic guy — as evidenced by all the revelations about him in the 2020 Netflix documentary Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez, and the anecdote from fellow former Pats tight end Rob Gronkowski, who said he would pleasure himself during team meetings.
Judge, however, seems to believe that the experience of coaching some kids through a football game is more chaotic than that. Whatever you say, Joe. Perhaps that mindset is what you’re not longer an NFL HC but a CFB assistant.
The Ole Miss Rebels are set to square off against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoffs semifinals on Thursday night. Miami heads into the game favored by 3.5 points.