The University of North Carolina placed football general manager Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave Monday, days before the Tar Heels open preseason camp. The school provided no details for the move, stating that employees and athletes are not permitted to address the topic "as is standard procedure with personnel matters."
Lombardi's role and background
Lombardi joined Bill Belichick at North Carolina when the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach was hired in December 2024. Lombardi's career as an NFL executive included serving as general manager of the Cleveland Browns in 2013. He was an immediate hire by Belichick in Chapel Hill.
Goals and recent performance
A few months into Belichick's tenure, Lombardi said the goal was to run the college program in a manner similar to the NFL, stating the Tar Heels "consider ourselves the 33rd [NFL] team" due to the staff's professional connections. North Carolina went 4-8 in Belichick's first season. The Tar Heels open his second season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on August 29.
