Why UNC is placing football GM Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave

Why UNC is placing football GM Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

>Bill Belichick's first hire as the head football coach at North Carolina was Michael Lombardi, who took over as the Tar Heels' general manager with a wealth of NFL front office experience.

>Heading into year two, Lombardi's status may be tenuous; he was placed on paid administrative leave, UNC announced Monday morning.

>Year one of the Belichick era was a difficult one for the Tar Heels, who finished 4-8, but the hope going into 2026 has been that it will all come together for the legendary NFL head coach. With Lombardi on administrative leave, there will at least be a temporary change in leadership in one of the program's key roles.

>Here's a look at UNC's decision to place Lombardi on leave.

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Why UNC GM Michael Lombardi is on paid administrative leaveNorth Carolina announced Monday that Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave, effective immediately, but did not offer an explanation.

North Carolina has place GM Michael Lombardi on leave. pic.twitter.com/OeBTaS5q5Q

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 27, 2026The Tar Heels referred to Lombardi's situation as a "personnel matter" and said other members of the program aren't allowed to discuss it at the moment as a result.

>Lombardi was quickly brought on by Belichick in an effort to rebuild the program in the image of NFL teams. "We consider ourselves the 33rd NFL team," Lombardi said shortly after he was hired, in a comment that was mocked when the Tar Heels struggled in 2025.

>Lombardi spent more than three decades working in NFL front offices, including eight years in a prominent role with the Raiders under owner Al Davis and a year as the Browns' general manager in 2013. Lombardi hasn't worked in the NFL since 2016, when he was an assistant to Belichick's coaching staff in New England.

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What did Michael Lombardi do?UNC didn't reveal any details about Lombardi's placement on leave, and the reason for the decision hasn't yet been reported.

>North Carolina said its policy bars team members from talking about the matter, so the program might not divulge any more information about what landed Lombardi on administrative leave.

What is Michael Lombardi's role with UNC?North Carolina may not be the "33rd team," but Belichick and Lombardi are right that college football is shifting more toward an NFL setup. Lombardi serves as the program's general manager, playing a key role in acquiring talent through the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail even with Belichick being the face of the program.

>Many college football programs have a general manager in the NIL era to take some of the pressure off the head coach and build the best possible roster using the money available to them, whether through the portal or from the high school ranks.

>This past offseason was a critical one for Lombardi after a dismal 4-8 season, and it will be a few more weeks until the Tar Heels find out just how effective he was at re-tooling the roster alongside Belichick.

Michael Lombardi salaryLombardi makes $1.5 million annually at North Carolina in his role as general manager, with a buyout that was about $3 million as of last season.

>Lombardi's contract runs through the end of the 2027 season, and it's unclear whether Monday's news puts him at serious risk of losing his job less than two years into his tenure.