Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has appeared to be behind the times during his tenure as a collegiate head coach at North Carolina, and things just keep deteriorating in Chapel Hill.
Michael Lombardi, who has worked alongside Belichick with both the Patriots and Cleveland Browns and currently serves as UNC's general manager, has been placed on administrative leave just five weeks before the Tar Heels are scheduled to open the 2026 season against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that the leave was spurred on by a human resources complaint filed by an-ex-UNC front office employee. "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 school said in a statement.
Bill Belichick's UNC nightmare continues as Michael Lombardi placed on leave
Belichick, who hired his sons and former Patriots assistants Stephen and Brian to serve as defensive coordinator and safeties coach, respectively, went 4-8 last season. Two of those wins came against mid-major Charlotte and FCS school Richmond, while the other two came against two ACC foes who combined for seven wins in Syracuse and Stanford. The combined margin of victory in those games was just 22 points.
Belichick, who created an offense that ranked 120th out of 136 FBS schools in points per game, boasted about his and Lombardi's professional connections and preparation helping the Tar Heels become the NFL's "33rd team." Not only did he struggle on the field, but none of his players were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. That's just what has gone wrong on the field.
Off of it, Belichick has been the ringmaster of a media circus that seems so alien for someone who was strictly business in New England. His relationship with Jordan Hudson has been a media flashpoint for years due to the age difference between the 74-year-old Belichick and 25-year-old Hudson. The concerning Lombardi news is the latest controversy that threatens to swallow Belichick.
Not only is Belichick not winning at North Carolina, which could almost be excused due to how old he is and how detached from the college game he was, but he is doing so in a way that has gone way past embarrassing. Belichick may be the greatest coach in NFL history and a Patriots legend, but his Tar Heels stint is going about as bad as humanly possible.
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