UNC GM Michael Lombardi on Paid Leave Ahead of Bill Belichick, Tar Heels' 2026 Football Season

The University of North Carolina announced that football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave.

The school didn't specify the circumstances surrounding the situation:

Lombardi's leave comes as the Tar Heels are a month out from their opener against against TCU on Aug. 29.

The news also contrasts quite a bit with what was a pretty quiet offseason in Chapel Hill. North Carolina football was a regular source of fascination last year on and off the field after hiring Bill Belichick, and now the status quo has mostly returned for a school that hasn't been a historic football power.

Lombardi's arrival coincided with that of Belichick. They had worked together on the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, and they remained close after Lombardi left his official role in New England in 2016.

Heading into the 2025 season, the former front-office executive was the highest-paid general manager in the FBS. His $1.5 million salary was $600,000 more than the next closest person.

Before and after UNC brought Belichick aboard, Lombardi was front and center selling fans on the overall vision for the program. He was the one who described the Tar Heels as the NFL's "33rd team."

Lombardi and Belichick's inexperience at the college level was laid bare in Year 1, though. North Carolina finished 4-8. Multiple reports detailed the errors in roster-building and a tense atmosphere behind the scenes.

After just five games, Belichick and athletic director Bubba Cunningham issued statements affirming their mutual commitment.

Toning down the expectations and overall buzz was arguably to UNC's benefit. The focus was largely on football, and nobody is really entertaining the idea the Heels could be a dark horse for the College Football Playoff.

Now, the program is once again making headlines for the wrong reasons.