Who is joining Bill Belichick with UNC football? Here’s one name for the Tar Heels' staff

Who is joining Bill Belichick with UNC football? Here’s one name for the Tar Heels’ staff

Posted by Admin December 12, 2024 Football

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UNC football coach Bill Belichick has already started making moves before his first news conference as leader of the Tar Heels.

Michael Lombardi, a longtime NFL executive and three-time Super Bowl champion, announced Wednesday evening that he plans to join Belichick at UNC as the football program’s general manager.

It’s a role that has become increasingly important for college programs in the NIL and transfer portal era, particularly with revenue sharing coming into play in 2025.

“I’m excited to join Coach Belichick at North Carolina,” Lombardi said in a release by the Vegas Sports Information Network.

“Although leaving my VSIN family will be hard, I’m excited to return to helping build a winning program. I’m forever thankful for all the great people at VSIN, especially Bill Adee and the Musburger family.”

A VSIN host since 2018, the 65-year-old Lombardi spent three decades working in the NFL, getting his start as a scout with the San Francisco 49ers in 1984 before ending his run as an assistant to Belichick’s coaching staff with the New England Patriots from 2014-16.

Lombardi, who was a part of two Super Bowl titles with Belichick and the Pats, also served in executive roles for Cleveland, Denver, Oakland and Philadelphia.

“VSIN and its audience have been fortunate to have Michael Lombardi’s unmatched football insights at their fingertips for the past several years,” VSIN co-founder Brian Musburger said in a release.

“We wish Michael all the best on this new adventure and congratulate him on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The VSIN team looks forward to rooting for him and his new team.”

Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.