June 20, 2025

#168 -GM Michael Lombardi: GRIDIRON GENIUS: A Championship Blueprint | From Bill Walsh to Bill Belichick | 3x Super Bowl Winner (Encore Episode)

55 minutes

🏆 GRIDIRON GENIUS: GM Michael Lombardi's NFL Championship Blueprint | From Bill Walsh to Bill Belichick | 3x Super Bowl WinnerEpisode Description

The ultimate NFL & College Football insider joins Built Not Born for an incredible conversation.

Michael Lombardi, 3x Super Bowl winning GM who now serves as General Manager at the University of North Carolina working alongside the legendary Coach Bill Belichick.

Originally aired in September 2022 - a classic episode worth revisiting as Lombardi's insights remain as relevant as ever.

In this episode, GM Michael Lombardi takes us behind the scenes of his legendary NFL career, sharing untold stories from his time with coaching legends Bill Walsh, Al Davis, and Bill Belichick. From discovering Hall of Fame talent like Charles Haley to building Super Bowl dynasties, this is the football masterclass you've been waiting for.

🔥 What You'll Discover:

How a kid from Ocean City, NJ became one of the NFL's most respected executives
The real story behind the West Coast Offense creation (hint: it wasn't in San Francisco!)
Inside stories of Tom Brady, Joe Montana, and NFL legends
Why leadership beats organization every time
The genius scouting methods that found hidden gems
How Stoic philosophy conquered the NFL (Big thanks to Lombardi!)
What's wrong with modern NFL coaching and player evaluation

🎯 Key Topics & Timestamps

[0:00-5:00] From Jersey Shore to NFL Dreams

Growing up in Ocean City, New Jersey
Valley Forge Military Academy transformation
Following Bruce Springsteen's advice to "chase your dreams"

[5:00-15:00] The Bill Walsh Era - 49ers Dynasty Begins

Becoming Walsh's right-hand man in 1984
Driving the legendary coach around San Francisco
Behind-the-scenes of the West Coast Offense creation
EXCLUSIVE: How the offense was actually developed in Cincinnati, not San Francisco

[15:00-25:00] Scouting Genius - Finding Charles Haley

The epic story of discovering the future Hall of Famer
Why one play on film convinced Bill Walsh immediately
The art of NFL scouting in the 1980s

[25:00-35:00] The John Taylor "Phantom Injury" Story

How Lombardi saved a career with creative roster management
Taylor's journey from practice squad to 3x Super Bowl champion
Why patience and development matter in team building

[35:00-50:00] Al Davis and the Raiders Culture

Learning from "The Last Maverick" of football
Davis's legendary work ethic and attention to detail
Why Davis would hang up with his famous "Oh, f*ck!" when disagreeing

[50:00-70:00] Bill Belichick - The Early Years

First meeting with Belichick in Cleveland (1991)
The mysterious "mission statement" paper Lombardi will donate to the Hall of Fame
How Belichick developed "confidence without evidence"
The Eric Metcalf punt return mastery story

[70:00-80:00] Bringing Stoicism to the NFL

How Lombardi introduced "The Obstacle Is The Way" to the league
Why Marcus Aurelius = Bill Belichick
The book that changed NFL culture forever

[80:00-95:00] Modern NFL Analysis

Why the fullback disappeared (and won't return)
The evolution of the safety position
Why computers will never replace play-calling intuition
The "Middle Eight" - how games are won in crucial moments

[95:00-105:00] Personal Philosophy & The Daily Coach

Partnership with George Raveling
Daily writing routine and journaling practice
Values passed to children and grandchildren
Bruce Springsteen inspiration

🏈 Guest Bio: Michael Lombardi

Michael Lombardi is one of the most accomplished executives in NFL history:

3x Super Bowl Champion (1984, 1988, 1989 with 49ers; 2001, 2003, 2004 with Patriots)
Current GM at University of North Carolina Football (working with Bill Belichick)
Former NFL Executive: 49ers, Raiders, Browns, Eagles, Patriots
Bestselling Author: "Gridiron Genius: A Master Class in Winning Championships and Building Dynasties in the NFL"
Co-Founder: The Daily Coach (with George Raveling)
Media: VS Network host and columnist

📚 Books & Resources Mentioned

"Gridiron Genius" by Michael Lombardi - Available everywhere books are sold
Football Done Right: by Michael Lombardi - Lombardi's latest work on coaching trees and top 100 NFL players
The Daily Coach - Daily leadership and wisdom content (thedailycoach.com)

🔥 Quotes from This Episode:"Champions behave like champions before they are champions." - Bill Walsh"Culture beats everything." - Michael Lombardi"The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." - Michael Lombardi's life motto"You can't work in the NFL. You gotta live in the NFL." - Al Davis"The secret to all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious." - Marcus Aurelius (as applied to football)🏆 Why This Episode Matters

This isn't just another football interview - it's a masterclass in excellence from someone who helped build multiple dynasties. Whether you're interested in:

NFL Strategy & Analytics
Leadership Development
Team Building
Sports History
Championship Mindset

Lombardi delivers insights you literally cannot get anywhere else.

🎯 Perfect For:

NFL fans and fantasy football players
Business leaders and entrepreneurs
Coaches at any level
Sports history enthusiasts
Anyone interested in championship culture and winning mindset

📱 Connect & Follow

Michael Lombardi:

The Daily Coach: [thedailycoach.com]
Twitter / X : @MLombardiUNCGM

SEO Keywords:

Michael Lombardi, Bill Belichick, UNC Football, NFL GM, Super Bowl, 49ers, Patriots, Bill Walsh, Al Davis, West Coast Offense, NFL Draft, Football Strategy, Gridiron Genius, The Daily Coach, Leadership, Championship Culture, NFL History, Tom Brady, Joe Montana

Hashtags:

#MichaelLombardi #BillBelichick #UNC #NFL #SuperBowl #Football #Leadership #GridironGenius #49ers #Patriots #BillWalsh #AlDavis #NFLDraft #TheDailyCoach #ChampionshipMindset #NFLHistory #FootballStrategy

...more

View all episodes

By Joe Ciccarone

4040 ratings