With an Aug. 29 season-opener on the horizon, there is uncertainty surrounding North Carolina's football staff.
University of North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi is on administrative leave, the school announced in a statement.
Led by legendary head coach Bill Belichick, the Tar Heels are slated to kick off the 2026 season in Dublin, Ireland, against Sonny Dykes' TCU Horned Frogs on Aug. 29.
"As is standard procedure with personnel matters, leadership, staff, and student-athletes are prohibited from addressing this topic further, and has no reflection on the merits," the statement reads.
A former football staffer at UNC recently filed a human resources complaint against Lombardi, sparking the investigation. No further details have been provided, but Lombardi, a long-time close friend and confidant of Belichick, has issued a statement of his own through his attorney, Tom Mars.
"Michael hasn't been told anything about the nature of UNC's investigation and welcomes the opportunity to clear his name, which has already been sullied by baseless statements and innuendo on social media," Mars said.
"He is fully cooperating with UNC and expects the investigation will be swift, thorough, and fair. Michael would ask that people have the decency to let the process run its course before jumping to any conclusions about the nature of the investigation or whether there's any merit to whatever has been alleged."
UNC associate athletic director Steve Newmark says his staff will be diligent in the investigation, despite the football team's season beginning in a matter of weeks.
"It's paramount for us to do what's right to make sure it's a full and fair review, and that we don't do anything to compromise the integrity of the process," Newmark said. "And because there's so many confidential details, that's why there's so much restraint on sharing anything while the process plays out."
Lombardi is reportedly the highest-paid general manager in college football with a salary of $1.5 million.
TCU defeated UNC in a blowout, 48-14, to begin the 2025 season in Chapel Hill. Last year was Belichick's first as the Tar Heels' head coach as he debuted in the college ranks following a storied career with the New England Patriots, among other NFL franchises.
UNC went 4-8 last season, while the Horned Frogs went 9-4 in a season capped by a 30-27 win in overtime over USC in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
