North Carolina Football’s Michael Lombardi on Leave

Michael Lombardi, the general manager of North Carolina football, is on paid administrative leave. This announcement came in a statement released by the school on Monday morning, just days before the Tar Heels begin their preseason camp.

The school did not provide specific reasons for this decision. It was noted that employees and athletes are not allowed to discuss personnel matters as part of the standard procedure.

Lombardi transitioned from the NFL to college football when he joined North Carolina. The school hired him in December 2024, following his work as an executive in the NFL, including a stint as the general manager of the Cleveland Browns in 2013. He became an immediate hire for Bill Belichick, the former New England Patriots coach, who moved to the collegiate level to invigorate the Tar Heels program.

Belichick was brought in to elevate a football program that was often seen as an also-ran in the Atlantic Coast Conference, achieving occasional but short-lived national prominence. A few months into Belichick’s leadership, Lombardi described their approach as similar to running an NFL team. He noted the Tar Heels’ extensive professional connections and referred to them as the ’33rd NFL team.’

In Belichick’s first season, the Tar Heels ended with a 4-8 record. They are set to begin his second season with a game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on August 29.