Michael Lombardi, the University of North Carolina football general manager and a longtime Bill Belichick confidant, has stepped down from his role.
The departure lands at an especially difficult moment for Belichick, who is still in the opening stretch of his second season leading the Tar Heels.
Lombardi followed Belichick to Chapel Hill after the famed NFL coach made his high-profile jump to college football in December 2024. But in July, he was placed on paid administrative leave after a former staff member filed an internal human resources complaint.
UNC had been paying Lombardi $1.5 million per year, a salary that made him the highest-paid general manager in college football.
The university announced his resignation in a Thursday statement, while also noting that its investigation has not yet concluded.
The release stated: “Effective September 3, 2026, Michael Lombardi has resigned from his position as General Manager of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s football program.”
University of North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has stepped down from his post
The timing is a major setback for Bill Belichick as he begins his second season with UNC
‘The University will continue its ongoing investigation and will consider all appropriate corrective actions responsive to the information it learns.’
Lombardi has retained prominent sports attorney Tom Mars, and he released a statement from his client on Thursday that read: ‘I want to thank Chancellor (Lee) 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 and Belichick first worked together in 1987 when Belichick was at the Cleveland Browns.
He was a staunch defender of Belichick, 74, while his personal life and relationship with girlfriend Jordon Hudson, 25, has continued to claim attention.
Speaking to reporters as the Tar Heels opened training camp last month, Belichick offered a coy response when asked about Lombardi’s absence and how the front-office duties are being delegated.
‘We’re at a particular time of the year now where there are certain things that are in play, and certain things that are in play that will happen later in the calendar year,’ Belichick said.
‘So we’re taking it day to day and working through the things that are on the table right now.’
When asked how the loss of his top executive impacts his daily operations, the eight-time Super Bowl champion added: ‘We’ve made a few adjustments, yeah. But I mean we’re working through the process.’
Lombardi was Belichick’s first hire when he made the move into the college game
Lombardi blasted critics of Belichick and Jordon Hudson’s romance after their CBS interview
Last June, Lombardi slammed critics of Belichick and Hudson’s relationship after the excruciating CBS interview where she called out from off-camera to stop him answering questions on how they first met.
‘It’s comical,’ Lombardi said of the backlash. ‘A lot of it is just noise. For me, to really even attack anybody who’s saying it, gives them credibility. Which I don’t, because it’s a completely false narrative.
‘My job is to focus on North Carolina football, and Bill’s job is to focus on North Carolina football, and that’s what he has done, and that’s what I’ve done. And we’re gonna continue to do that.
‘The noise out there comes from a direction of people trying to be disruptive within our program. We’re not going to allow it.’
The off-field turmoil comes on the heels of a difficult inaugural season in Chapel Hill for Belichick, with the Tar Heels posting a disappointing 4-8 record in 2025.
UNC’s 2026 season started in Dublin, Ireland last week and they claimed a 15-10 victory over TCU. They are next in action against East Tennessee State on September 12.
