Michael Lombardi administrative leave hits UNC before preseason camp
UNC says football GM Michael Lombardi is on paid leave, while ESPN reports the move followed a human resources complaint.
By Frankie Delgado · News Reporter
3 min read
North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave, the school said Monday, putting a sudden personnel issue in front of Bill Belichick’s program days before preseason camp opens.
UNC did not give a reason for the move. In its statement, the school said employees and athletes are not allowed to discuss the matter, describing that as standard practice for personnel issues.
ESPN reported that the leave is connected to a human resources complaint filed by a former employee in UNC’s football front office. The school’s announcement did not include comments from Lombardi.
Why was Michael Lombardi placed on administrative leave?
UNC has not publicly explained the reason for Lombardi’s paid leave. ESPN, citing its reporting, said the matter stems from a human resources complaint by a former front office staffer.
Administrative leave means an employee is kept away from regular duties while an employer addresses a workplace matter. In this case, UNC specified that Lombardi’s leave is paid.
Lombardi arrived in Chapel Hill as part of Belichick’s NFL-flavored rebuild after North Carolina hired the former New England Patriots coach in December 2024. Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, quickly added Lombardi to help run the football operation.
Lombardi’s background is almost entirely rooted in the pro game. His NFL front-office career included a stint as general manager of the Cleveland Browns in 2013, and his hiring at UNC was part of the program’s push to borrow heavily from professional football.
Earlier in Belichick’s tenure, Lombardi described the Tar Heels’ approach as an NFL-style operation, saying UNC considered itself the “33rd (NFL) team” because of the staff’s pro connections.
What does this mean for Bill Belichick’s UNC program?
The timing is awkward for a North Carolina team trying to build momentum after a difficult first year under Belichick. The Tar Heels finished 4-8 in his debut season, according to the report.
UNC hired Belichick to spark a program that had spent much of its recent history outside the top tier of the Atlantic Coast Conference, with occasional rises that did not last.
CBS Sports reported that Lombardi is among the highest-paid general managers in college football, earning $1.5 million per year. The outlet also credited him with helping North Carolina land a top-25 recruiting class for the 2026 cycle.
The Tar Heels are scheduled to begin Belichick’s second season against TCU on Aug. 29 in Dublin, Ireland. For now, UNC’s football operation heads toward camp with one of its top front-office figures on leave and the school saying little beyond the personnel-matter basics.
This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.