Bill Belichick’s first season at North Carolina has been hit by another major shakeup after his hand-picked general manager, Michael Lombardi, abruptly stepped down amid an ongoing investigation into the football program.
Lombardi resigned Thursday afternoon, months after he had been placed on administrative leave.
According to ESPN, his departure is connected to a human resources complaint filed by a former employee in UNC’s football front office.
North Carolina confirmed that an investigation remains active.
“The University will continue its ongoing investigation and will consider all appropriate corrective actions responsive to the information it learns,” UNC said in a statement.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel previously reported that the complaint triggered Lombardi’s administrative leave and that the matter remained under investigation.
But the probe reportedly extends far beyond Lombardi.
WRAL reported that attorneys hired to investigate the program have also been asking questions about Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick, who serves as North Carolina’s defensive coordinator.
According to the outlet, investigators have questioned people connected to the team about whether Steve Belichick used drugs while working on campus or provided drugs to at least one player.
Those are allegations being examined as part of the investigation, and no finding of wrongdoing has been announced.
Investigators have also reportedly asked about a separate allegation involving a member of UNC’s recruiting staff and a possible sexual relationship with a player.
WRAL said attorneys have additionally questioned people about possible sexual relationships between assistant coaches and members of the recruiting staff.
The nature of those questions suggests that the investigation has expanded well beyond the original human resources complaint.
Steve Belichick has been away from the program on medical leave since early August.
Bill Belichick has maintained that his son is dealing with a medical issue and is expected to return.
“We look forward to getting him back as soon as possible,” Bill Belichick said when announcing the leave last month.
“It’s a medical situation so I really can’t make any further comment.”
Lombardi’s resignation now adds another layer of uncertainty around the Tar Heels program as the university continues examining multiple allegations involving members of the football operation.
UNC has not publicly announced the results of the investigation or said whether additional disciplinary action could follow.