UNC Places Football General Manager Michael Lombardi on Paid Administrative Leave Amid HR Complaint

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced Monday that Michael Lombardi, the general manager of the Carolina football program, has been placed on paid administrative leave effective immediately. The action follows a human resources complaint filed by a former university employee, a source familiar with the matter told TarHeel247.

Dean Stoyer, the vice chancellor of communications and marketing, confirmed that the decision was made by university leadership, not the athletic department. The university’s statement noted that standard personnel procedures prohibit staff, leadership, and student-athletes from discussing the matter further and that the leave does not reflect on the merits of any investigation.

Lombardi, hired in December 2024 by Bill Belichick and the university, is the highest-paid general manager in college football with an annual salary of about $1.5 million, and his contract runs through January 2028. He has been responsible for building the team’s roster, including overseeing the transfer portal and the incoming 2026 recruiting class of 40 freshmen.