The Athletic has live coverage of UNC vs. TCU from College Football Week 0 action in Dublin, Ireland.
As North Carolina kicked off the football season against TCU on Saturday in Ireland, general manager Michael Lombardi — Bill Belichick’s longtime confidant and right-hand man — remained on administrative leave as the school’s general counsel and an outside law firm’s investigation into a human resources complaint against Lombardi extended into a second month.
Lombardi, whose $1.5 million salary makes him the highest-paid GM in college football, retained lawyer Tom Mars, who has represented many clients in high-profile college sports cases. On Saturday morning, Mars called the investigation a “witch hunt.”
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“If UNC had grounds to fire Michael for cause, they wouldn’t need to conduct such a far-ranging, lengthy witch hunt. They would have done so by now,” Mars told The Athletic. “I think the motive behind the investigation goes further than a $1.5 million buyout. After all, UNC could fire Michael (or the athletic director or any head coach) for no reason at all just by paying their buyout. In today’s world, $1.5 million is just a drop in the bucket, so there must be other reasons behind this multimillion-dollar investigation.”
Friday evening, ESPN published a story detailing examples of staffing rifts and perceived NCAA violations. One staffer wrote, in notes shared with The Athletic, to the UNC administration early in the Belichick tenure that the new regime was doing things any way but “the Carolina Way,” and there is a need to be very concerned about the future, including issues with football staffing turnover. The staffer requested anonymity to protect against retaliation.
Mars said Lombardi is “fully compliant” with the investigation and previously stated he expected it to be “swift, thorough and fair.” (Lombardi’s leave has extended beyond 30 days, the length of time the university handbook says that administrative leave “should not exceed,” though it does allow for employees to stay on leave for the duration of an investigation.)
“We’re taking it day by day,” Belichick said days after Lombardi was placed on leave. “And, you know, working through the things that are on the table now.”
The program is separately being examined by the College Sports Commission, with Lombardi’s involvement a subject of interest, two people briefed on the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly have told The Athletic. The CSC is the new enforcement body overseeing name, image and likeness and payment to athletes across college sports.
Mars said he’s unaware of any CSC investigation involving Lombardi and that Lombardi wasn’t asked any questions by UNC involving issues under the CSC’s jurisdiction.
“I don’t recall Michael being asked any specific questions that were focused on his own conduct,” Mars said. “He also wasn’t presented with any documents showing or even suggesting he had done anything wrong or inappropriate.”
Lombardi has generated headlines in Chapel Hill since his arrival. In his first public appearance as the team’s general manager, he proclaimed UNC the NFL’s 33rd team, a comment many in college football saw as overconfident. By mid-October, amid UNC’s dismal start — including three double-digit losses to power-conference opponents — multiple sources told The Athletic that Lombardi’s arrogance and roster management were key reasons for the team’s struggles, despite having a six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, who went on medical leave on Aug. 6, wasn’t with the team Saturday, either. Bill Belichick has been tight-lipped about who is calling North Carolina’s defense in his absence, but the defensive-minded head coach figures to be heavily involved without his son on the sidelines.
Once the Tar Heels return to campus, will Lombardi join them?
The longer the investigation continues, the more doubt is cast over Lombardi returning to the program.