UNC GM Mike Lombardi doubles down on Bill Belichick stance

The conversation surrounding coach Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels continues. People are pointing out different positions in the National Football League that he could take and leave UNC before even coaching a game with a low buyout total.

During his Thursday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," North Carolina general manager Michael Lombardi stated that Bill Belichick is dedicated to the Tar Heels and has no plans to leave.

"The one that keeps going on, is being generated by someone who doesn't like our program, doesn't like me, doesn't like coach Belichick and refuses to let it go..." Lombardi said. "I was with Bill every day during the fall. We talked about every single NFL job that could open up and every time I would bring one up, he shot it down. He is where he wants to be."

Lombardi also discussed the report that Bill Belichick has not yet signed his contract with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

"Contracts are very complicated, and I think if you understand North Carolina's system, it is a state institution, it takes a while to get things done," Lombardi added. "There's a lot of hurdles to go through but we're all getting paid. I haven't signed my contract yet, Pat. So this is just a complete story that people want to run with."

Bill Belichick currently holds third place all-time in professional football wins by a coach, with 302 regular season wins in the NFL. He is 26 behind Don Shula (328 regular season wins) for the top spot, which is something Belichick has been vocal about wanting over the years.

What does North Carolina's schedule look like for the 2025 season?

The North Carolina Tar Heels's 2025 season schedule is still a work in progress. We know the dates for the nonconference games, but the Atlantic Coast Conference has not released the schedule yet. Instead, we know the teams and locations of ACC games for the 2025 season. Let's look closer to see what teams will be on the schedule for Bill Belichick's first season with the program.

• 8/30: vs. TCU Horned Frogs
• 9/6: at Charlotte 49ers
• 9/13: vs. Richmond Spiders
• 9/20: at UCF Knights
• TBA at California Golden Bears
• TBA at NC State Wolfpack
• TBA at Syracuse Orange
• TBA at Wake Forest Demon Deacons
• TBA vs. Clemson Tigers
• TBA vs. Duke Blue Devils
• TBA vs. Stanford Cardinal
• TBA vs. Virginia Cavaliers