Just days after Bill Belichick opened his second season as head coach of North Carolina with an upset win over TCU, a key member of the UNC staff has resigned. On Thursday afternoon, Michael Lombardi resigned as general manager of the football program, per On3's Spencer Haskell. Lombardi had been placed on paid administrative leave in late July amid an investigation into a human resources complaint that, multiple sources told Inside Carolina, involved a former UNC staff member.
Since Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave on July 27, the school hasn't provided any additional details. Additionally, the school prohibited university leadership, staff, and student-athletes from addressing the personnel matter. "The University will continue its ongoing investigation and will consider all appropriate corrective actions responsive to the information it learns," the University of North Carolina said in their statement released on Thursday.
North Carolina confirmed on July 30 that its Office of University Counsel was investigating the allegations connected to the personnel action. More news: Tua Tagovailoa’s Wife Addresses ‘Burner Account’ Accusations on Instagram North Carolina named Lombardi the general manager of the football program in December 2024. Before that hiring, he spent many years working for various NFL teams in different positions, including from 2014 to 2016 with Belichick's New England Patriots as an assistant to the coaching staff.
Lombardi was part of Belichick's 2014 staff in New England that won Super Bowl XLIX over the Seattle Seahawks. NFL teams he worked for included the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, and Philadelphia Eagles. His recent UNC resignation comes during his second year of a three-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.
According to ESPN's Jake Trotter, Lombardi was the highest-paid general manager in college football at the time. His deal, which expired in January 2028, also included bonuses for various achievements. Those bonuses included UNC recording a top-25 finish, playing in the ACC Championship Game, qualifying for a bowl game, reaching the College Football Playoff, and/or the National Championship Game.
"I want to thank Chancellor Roberts and Bill Belichick for the opportunity to serve as the GM of UNC Football. I have decided it’s best for me to resign my position as GM to allow the team to focus on the ‘26 season," Lombardi said in a statement he released on Thursday. Reportedly, there is no replacement for Lombardi, and the school is taking an "all-hands-on-deck approach," per On3.
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