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 in Chapel Hill ahead of the 2025 season as Bill Belichick’s first hire at UNC. He came in as the highest-paid general manager in college football, earning $1.5 million annually, according to USA TODAY’s salary database.
He is in the second year of a three-year contract that runs through Jan. 15, 2028.
Before joining the Tar Heels, Lombardi spent years in NFL front offices and worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England before following the six-time Super Bowl champion coach to Chapel Hill.
At his introduction as UNC’s GM in February 2025, Lombardi took part in a 28-minute press conference and said “everything we do here is predicated on building a pro team,” adding 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.”
Lombardi also drew attention in August 2025 when he took a "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, he sent a letter to some of UNC’s biggest donors urging patience with the program. Then in October, he addressed that letter on UNC’s football show, saying he writes a letter “every month” and repeating that Belichick came to Chapel Hill to “build a foundation,” nothing the importance of player development.
UNC went 4-8 in the 2025 season.
The Tar Heels open training camp on Thursday, July 30. Their 2026 season begins against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 29 at noon on ESPN in Dublin, Ireland.
In Other News...
Another UNC Football Investigation Clouds A Crucial Belichick Moment
UNC football is dealing with another off-field jolt after the university placed general manager Michael Lombardi on administrative leave following a human resources complaint from a former employee. The move adds another layer of uncertainty around a program that has already been navigating scrutiny beyond the field, and it comes at a time when the Tar Heels are trying to stabilize a football operation built around a high-profile new structure.
Bill Belichick remains under contract as head coach, but the timing only sharpens the stakes around his first season in Chapel Hill. UNC is also under investigation by the College Sports Commission, the group that oversees NCAA compliance tied to revenue sharing and NIL deals, and the program now has multiple fronts to manage as questions swirl around its football leadership and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Another Belichick Era Problem Just Hit UNC Before Opening Week
North Carolinas football reset under Bill Belichick was already carrying plenty of pressure before the opening week arrived, and the program has now been forced to deal with another distraction off the field. The Tar Heels are trying to stabilize a roster and build momentum after last seasons 4-8 finish, while also selling a new direction on the recruiting trail, where the 2027 class is sitting in the middle of the pack.
Mike Lombardis status adds another layer of uncertainty to a staff that was supposed to project order and urgency. The investigation is still ongoing, and with the season about to begin, UNC is left navigating both the optics and the practical questions of how this affects the structure around Belichick in the short term and beyond. [Read more 🡒]