Pablo Torre heard what Bill Simmons said loud and clear.
The former ESPN personality fired back at Simmons after The Ringer founder claimed Torre is “pretending” to be a journalist amid his recent exposés into the Bill Belichick-Jordon Hudson relationship.
“Dear @BillSimmons: Since you have such a strong public opinion about my work… I happen to have a few questions for you, specifically,” Torre tweeted Monday. “Unless you’re afraid of @pablofindsout and someone just ‘pretending to be a journalist,’ of course. Thanks, Pablo.”
This battle between former ESPNers stems from Torre’s recent deep dives into the polarizing relationship between the 73-year-old North Carolina football coach and his 24-year-old girlfriend.
Torre has reported in recent weeks on his “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast that the Tar Heels banned Hudson from their facilities, which the program later denied, along with allegations of Hudson trying to work her way into a commercial while showing up in a bikini.
He even went as far as to rent the Airbnb that Hudson and Belichick occupied when Ring camera footage of a shirtless Belichick emerged in 2023, and talked to the owners, with Belichick being labeled a “creepy old guy” whom the male owner wondered if he potentially was a “freaking coke dealer.”
Simmons, who rooted for Belichick’s Patriots teams, said on a recent “Rewatchables” of the 1978 film “Heaven Can Wait” that he believes Torre spent a little too much time on the topic.
“Pablo Torre would’ve done a long podcast about (“Heaven Can Wait” character) Leo Farnsworth trying to practice with the team, and then done a media tour about it afterwards,” Simmons said on May 27.
“I’ve never seen anybody dine on a stupider story for a week and a half while pretending you’re a journalist. What the f–k was that? Seriously.
“‘Belichick’s dating a girl. Oh, let me do nine shows about it. Settle the f–k down … You don’t need to do a media tour about a f–king podcast.”
When co-host Van Lathan noted how the world has been talking about the pair, especially after the disastrous “CBS News Sunday Morning” interview, Simmons backed off a little.
“That’s fine,” Simmons said. “Maybe do two shows about it.”
Belichick and Hudson will continue to be in the spotlight while the Tar Heels head toward their Sept. 1 opener against TCU.
The June 1 date that lowered Belichick’s buyout from $10 million to $1 million just passed, allowing him more financial flexibility if he deems it’s time to move on.
Torre could potentially have more coming out about the two, having previously said last week marked a deadline for the school to respond to public records requests.
He indicated he would be open to potential legal action if they did not comply.