Bill Belichick is on the cusp of beginning what he hopes will be a redemption campaign after a disappointing first season at North Carolina.
However, at least for now, he will be doing it without his general manager.
In a statement obtained by On3’s Pete Nakos, the University of North Carolina announced that Tar Heel General Manager Michael Lombardi had been placed on paid leave “effective immediately.”
“The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has placed Michael Lombardi, general manager for the Carolina football program, on paid administrative leave, effective immediately,” the school said in a statement. “As is standard procedure with personnel matters, leadership, staff, and student-athletes are prohibited from addressing this topic further, and it has no reflection on the merits.”
The university did not provide any additional details about the reasoning behind Lombardi’s leave.
Lombardi made his entrance into college football alongside Bill Belichick when the latter accepted the head coaching position at the University of North Carolina in December of 2024. Lombardi brought a wealth of NFL experience to the position, as a general manager and personnel executive with the Raiders, Browns, 49ers and Patriots, among other stops.
Belichick and Lombardi first worked together in New England.
In all, Lombardi logged time with three Super Bowl-winning organizations.
A championship pedigree that earned high praise from Belichick when he introduced Lombardi as his chief personnel executive at Chapel Hill.
“Michael knows how to build a champion and brings a great deal of quality experience to the UNC program,” Belichick said. “I am excited to be reunited with Michael, and we will rely on his expertise in evaluating and acquiring talent for the Tar Heel program.”