UNC GM Michael Lombardi Reportedly Called 'Top 5 All-Time of Despised People in' NFL

University of North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi reportedly didn't leave a positive impression during his lengthy tenure as an NFL executive.

On Friday's episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out (10:11 mark), sports journalist Pablo Torre reported that a league source told him Lombardi is "in the top five all-time of despised people in the NFL."

After previously serving as an assistant to the coaching staff with the New England Patriots from 2014 to 2016 while Bill Belichick was the head coach, Lombardi followed Belichick to the college ranks in December 2024, becoming GM of UNC's football program.

Belichick is the head coach at UNC, but Lombardi apparently has a great deal of influence, with Torre reporting that Belichick listens to his girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, and Lombardi "above all else."

Lombardi began his NFL career as a scout with the San Francisco 49ers in 1984, and he went on to work for several different organizations in various roles over the next three-plus decades.

He was the Cleveland Browns' pro personnel director from 1989 to 1993, and their director of player personnel from 1993 to 1995, which overlapped with Belichick serving as the Browns' head coach from 1991 to 1995.

Lombardi went on to be the Philadelphia Eagles' director of pro personnel in 1998, the Oakland Raiders' senior personnel executive from 1998 to 2006 and the Browns' GM and vice president in 2013.

All told, Lombardi was a three-time Super Bowl champion, winning one with the Niners and two with the Pats.

In between NFL jobs, Lombardi had spells in media in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s, working for ESPN, NFL Network, Fox Sports and CBS Sports as an analyst.

He also spent some time as a member of Showtime's popular Inside the NFL, which aired weekly on the platform during the NFL season from 2008 to 2021.

While Lombardi had some success in the NFL and was respected enough to make a living talking about the league, early returns have not been good thus far at North Carolina.

With Lombardi and Belichick leading the way, the Tar Heels are off to a disappointing 2-3 start.

Of course, new regimes often need two or three years at the helm in the college ranks before seeing results from bringing in their desired players, so there is still hope in UNC.

As for this year, there is only one ranked team remaining on the Tar Heels' schedule in No. 18 Virginia, so perhaps a strong finish to the season could be in the cards for Belichick, Lombardi and Co.