UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave "effective immediately," the university announced on Monday, July 27.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, UNC vice chancellor Dean Stoyer wrote in a school-issued statement.Lombardi joined Bill Belichick ahead of the 2025 season as the highest-paid general manager in college football with an annual salary of $1.5 million. A long-time front office fixture for NFL franchises, Lombardi worked with Belichick in Cleveland and New England before following the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach to Chapel Hill.In February 2025, Lombardi was a part of a 28-minute press conference in his introduction as UNCs GM. During that press conference, Lombardi said everything we do here is predicated on building a pro team, adding that the Tar Heels consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team, cause everybody whos involved in our program has had some form of aspect in pro football.UNC finished the 2025 season with a 4-8 record.The Tar Heels open training camp on Thursday, July 30. UNC begin the 2026 season against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 29 (Noon, ESPN), in Dublin, Ireland.Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Michael Lombardi, UNC football GM, placed on paid administrative leave