What’s a football GM worth at UNC? More than any assistant coach was paid last year :: WRALSportsFan.com
North Carolina football general manager MIchael Lombardi, one new head coach Bill Belichick’s first hires, will make more than the Tar Heels paid any assistant coach last season.
Lombardi will earn $1.5 million in 2025, according to a salary database of UNC System employees. The database is current as of Dec. 31. UNC hasn’t released Lombardi’s contract or its terms.
North Carolina’s top-paid assistant coach in 2024 was defensive coordinator Geoff Collins ($1.1 million).
North Carolina allocated $5.3 million to its support staff salary pool, including the general manager role, when it hired Belichick in December. Belichick won six Super Bowls as head coach of the New England Patriots and is considered one of the sport’s greatest coaches.
But he has never coached in college. Belichick signed a five-year, $50-million deal with the first three years and $30 million guaranteed. Belichick’s salary on the database is listed as $1 million, which is the amount of his base salary.
UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts makes a base salary of $600,000, which is also reflected in the database.
Lombardi is a long-time Belichick confidant, who worked with him at NFL stops in Cleveland and New England. Lombardi also worked in the front offices for San Francisco, Philadelphia, Oakland and Denver over more than 30 years in the NFL. He served as the recruiting coordinator at UNLV in the early 1980s, his only previous college experience.
Patrick Suddes, North Carolina’s general manager last year, is making $219,771, according to the salary database. NC State general manager Andy Vaughn made $200,000, according to his contract which expires at the end of February.
Alabama’s Courtney Morgan was believed to be the highest-paid general manager in college football last season at $775,000, according to USA Today.
Assistant coach Freddie Kitchens, the only holdover from Mack Brown’s staff, is making $662,001, according to the database. Kitchens made $550,000 last season, according to the two-year contract he signed in 2023.
UNC has yet to announce its assistant coaching staff or their salaries for 2025.
North Carolina’s men’s basketball announced the hire of its first general manager Tuesday. Jim Tanner, a UNC alum, is an NBA agent, who represented stars such as Tim Duncan, Grant Hill and UNC alum Vince Carter.
Source: wralsportsfan.com