The UNC football story took a sharp turn on Thursday, and it wasn’t about anything happening between the lines.
Michael Lombardi stepped down as the Tar Heels’ general manager, and within hours WRAL reported that the investigation tied to his resignation is looking into serious allegations inside the program. According to the report, lawyers hired to handle the inquiry are asking questions about alleged sexual misconduct and drug use involving members of the staff.
WRAL reported that investigators are looking into whether defensive coordinator Steve Belichick used drugs on the job or provided drugs to at least one player. The report also said lawyers have asked about whether a member of UNC’s recruiting staff had a sexual relationship with a player. In addition, they are examining possible sexual relationships between assistant coaches and recruiting staff.
The timing makes the whole situation even more jarring for a program that just opened the season with a major Week 0 win. What looked like a routine off-field move suddenly became part of something much bigger.
There’s already been speculation that UNC may have wanted to move on from Lombardi without paying his buyout, but that number is only $1.5 million. Lombardi’s attorney, Tom Mars, told The Athletic that he believes the scope of the investigation points well beyond a simple attempt to fire his client for cause.
“If UNC had grounds to fire Michael for cause, they wouldn’t need to conduct such a far-ranging, lengthy witch hunt. They would have done so by now.
I think the motive behind the investigation goes further than a $1.5 million buyout. After all, UNC could fire Michael (or the athletic director of any head coach) for no reason at all just by paying their buyout.
In today’s world, $1.5 million is just a drop in the bucket, so there must be other reasons behind this multimillion-dollar investigation.” Mars told The Athletic.
One possible reason is the reach of head coach Bill Belichick’s contract. WRAL reported that he is directly responsible for the behavior of his staff, players, and activities around the program. That could put him on the hook for whatever the investigation turns up, including anything involving his son, Steve Belichick, who is reportedly being examined for alleged illegal drug use.
For now, there are no conclusive findings. The report is based on what WRAL uncovered while the investigation is still ongoing. But with Lombardi gone and the allegations now out in the open, this is a situation that could keep getting bigger around UNC.
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