UNC Football GM Michael Lombardi Placed on Paid Administrative Leave
UNC has placed football general manager Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave effective immediately, with no details released; as an EHRA non-faculty employee, the leave should not exceed 30 days. Lombardi, reportedly the highest-paid college football GM at $1.5 million per year on a contract through Jan. 15, 2028, joined UNC in 2024 after a long NFL career and is Bill Belichick’s first hire for the program; his son Matt Lombardi is UNC’s quarterbacks coach. UNC’s 40-player 2026 recruiting class ranks 17th nationally (third in the ACC), and the transfer portal haul ranks 64th nationally.