UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave, with the university saying the move is effective immediately.
UNC announced the decision Monday, July 27, and vice chancellor Dean Stoyer said in a school-issued statement: “As is standard procedure with personnel matters, leadership, staff, and student-athletes are prohibited from addressing this topic further, and has no reflection on the merits,”
Lombardi arrived at Chapel Hill ahead of the 2025 season to work alongside Bill Belichick, joining as the highest-paid general manager in college football with an annual salary of $1.5 million, according to USA TODAY's salary database. He is in the second year of a three-year contract that runs through Jan. 15, 2028.
A longtime NFL front office figure, Lombardi had previously worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England before following the six-time Super Bowl champion coach to UNC. Belichick introduced him as his first hire during his introductory press conference in December 2024.
Lombardi’s first public introduction as UNC’s GM came in February 2025 during a 28-minute press conference. There, he said “everything we do here is predicated on building a pro team,” and added that the Tar Heels “ consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team, ‘cause everybody who’s involved in our program has had some form of aspect in pro football.”
His time at UNC also included an August 2025 "preseason exploratory fundraising trip to Saudi Arabia" that the university said was "at the invite of the hosts and funded by the hosts." The following month, Lombardi sent a letter to some of UNC's biggest donors urging patience with the program. He later addressed that letter in October on UNC's football show, saying he writes a letter "every month" and re-iterating that Belichick came to Chapel Hill to "build a foundation," nothing the importance of player development.
UNC finished the 2025 season 4-8.
The Tar Heels open training camp on Thursday, July 30, and begin the 2026 season against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 29 at noon on ESPN in Dublin, Ireland.
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