The New England Patriots have given their backing to Mike Vrabel as new photos of their head coach and NFL reporter Dianna Russini emerged on Thursday.
Russini resigned from her post at the Athletic last week after the New York Post published photos of her and Vrabel embracing and holding hands at an Arizona resort. The pair are married to different people and have said their relationship is platonic. On Wednesday, Vrabel said he will miss day three of the NFL draft on Saturday to undergo counseling in the fallout from the controversy.
On Thursday, new photos were published of Russini and Vrabel together. Page Six published photos of the pair at a New York bar in 2020, while TMZ released images of them at a Mississippi casino in 2024.
In Wednesday’s statement, Vrabel said he was seeking counseling because: “I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend.”
The Patriots made it clear they were standing behind their coach in a statement on Thursday.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own wellbeing. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment,” read the statement.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Vrabel said he spoke with his players about the recent events on Monday. The NFL said last week that it will not investigate Vrabel over the original photos of him with Russini. Its personal conduct policy states that: “Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in’ the NFL”.
Vrabel led the Patriots to February’s Super Bowl, where they lost to the Seattle Seahawks, in his first season with the team. He was named Associated Press coach of the year for his achievements, turning around a team that had finished with a 4-13 record the previous season.
Russini announced her resignation on 14 April amid an internal investigation at the Athletic.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini said in a letter sent to the Athletic’s executive editor, Steven Ginsberg. “When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”
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