Bill Belichick’s longtime ally, friend and GM at University of North Carolina Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave in an extraordinary move just weeks before the college football season starts.
Lombardi was Belichick’s first hire when he made the stunning move into the college game after leaving the New England Patriots and failing to land another job in the NFL.
He is paid $1.5million-a-year by UNC, making him the top-paid GM in the college game. But now, he will not be alongside the most successful coach in NFL history in the lead up to his hugely anticipated second campaign in North Carolina.
The university announced the news in a bombshell statement Monday morning, saying: ‘The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has placed Michael Lombardi, general manager for the Carolina football program, on paid administrative leave, effective immediately.
‘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.’
According to On3, the final decision was made by UNC itself and not Belichick. The head coach has yet to comment on the decision.
Bill Belichick’s GM Michael Lombardi has been placed on leave by University of North Carolina
The bombshell news presents a fresh crisis for Belichick weeks before the college 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.
Last June, he slammed critics of the couple’s relationship after Belichick’s excruciating CBS interview where Hudson 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.’
But now Lombardi is the noise, leaving Belichick facing a fresh crisis at a terrible time. The team starts practice camp on Wednesday, July 30 with issues off the field now set to dominate once again.
UNC’s college season starts in a little over a month, against TCU on August 29.
Lobardi has been one of Belichick’s most trusted friends throughout his career in football
Last year, Belichick endured a catastrophic first season in the college game with team slumping to a 4-8 record – after Lombardi boasted of plans to turn the school into a ’33rd NFL team’.
When he followed Belichick to Chapel Hill, Lombardi said: ‘Working with coach Belichick has always been one of the most rewarding times of my life.
‘Reuniting here at UNC is a dream come true. Chapel Hill is a magical place, and the University is one of the greatest in the country.’
In return, Belichick said he would ‘rely heavily on Michael’s expertise’ during his time in the college game.
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