Michael Lombardi during his time with the Browns. DECEMBER 1, 2013 CLEVELAND, OH: General manager Michael Lombardi of the Cleveland Browns walks off the field prior to during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, 2013 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. Jacksonville won 32-28. (Photo by: Nick Cammett/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
FoxNFLThe RingerBy Ian Casselberry on

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NFL analyst Michael Lombardi is reuniting with Bill Simmons and this time, the former NFL executive won’t just be a podcast guest. He’s making a full-time commitment to The Ringer.

As reported by SportsBusiness Daily’s John Ourand, Lombardi has signed an exclusive deal with the site that will include recording podcasts, video essays and studio show analysis for Simmons’ venture. He had most recently been an analyst for FS1, appearing on shows like Speak For Yourself and Undisputed , along with podcasts like Make Me Smarter, to provide NFL analysis and commentary. Leaving right before the Super Bowl is curious timing, but perhaps that explains why FS1 just hired Greg Jennings as an analyst.

Lombardi was a frequent guest on Simmons’ The B.S. Report podcast from 2008 to 2013 until taking a job with the Cleveland Browns as general manager and vice president of player personnel. Following his dismissal in Cleveland, Lombardi worked with the New England Patriots as an assistant to the coaching staff until leaving before the 2016 season. He went back into media with FS1 and has been appearing weekly on The Bill Simmons Podcast during this past NFL season.

Lombardi has been involved in pro football in one fashion or another since 1984, when he was a scout for the San Francisco 49ers under Bill Walsh. During the past 30-plus years, he’s worked in personnel for a variety of NFL teams including a previous stint with the Browns, along with the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders. His first stay with the Browns and his run in Oakland each lasted 10 years.

After leaving Oakland, Lombardi joined the sports media, writing columns for Sports Illustrated before starting up his own site, the National Football Post. Following a three-year run as editor-in-chief, he then moved full-time to NFL Network (where he was already providing analysis) and was a columnist for NFL.com. In 2013, he went back into a NFL front office with the Browns.

“This was a natural evolution for him and for us,” Simmons told Ourand. “With talented people like Kevin Clark, Robert Mays, Danny Kelly and now Mike all leading the way, we know our multi-media NFL coverage will be as good as anything out there.”

[SportsBusiness Daily]

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.

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