Michael Lombardi, the general manager of North Carolina football, is on paid administrative leave. The school released a statement on Monday morning announcing the decision, which was made just days before the Tar Heels begin their preseason camp. The statement did not provide reasons for the leave, citing that discussion of the issue by employees and athletes is not allowed, adhering to standard personnel matter procedures.
Lombardi transitioned from the NFL to college football when he was hired by North Carolina in December 2024. Before his current role, Lombardi was a general manager with the Cleveland Browns in 2013. He joined the school following the hiring of former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, aiming to bring NFL-level operations to the college team in Chapel Hill.
Belichick was hired to energize a football program that had struggled in the Atlantic Coast Conference and had seen only occasional success on a national scale. Lombardi mentioned that the Tar Heels aimed to operate in a manner similar to a professional team, referring to themselves as the ’33rd NFL team’ due to their professional football expertise.
In Belichick’s first season, the Tar Heels finished with a 4-8 record. They are scheduled to open the upcoming season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on August 29.
Leave a Reply