Mike Vrabel skipping Day 3 of NFL Draft to seek counseling after Dianna Russini photos
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft and plans to seek counseling amid the Dianna Russini scandal, according to a statement acquired by ESPN.
He reportedly plans to be with his family this weekend, outside of Massachusetts. The statement:
"As I said the other day, 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," Vrabel said Wednesday night. "This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.
"I have always wanted to lead by example and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result."
The news comes a day after Vrabel addressed the matter with reporters for the first time. The coach mentioned having difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players," and requested privacy as the aftermath played out.
Vrabel and Russini, then an NFL reporter at The Athletic, were plunged into scandal earlier this month when Page Six published photos of the pair, who are married to other people with children, hugging and holding hands at an adults-only resort in Arizona.
Both parties immediately denied any wrongdoing, with Vrabel calling the interaction completely innocent," and insisted they were both there with friends despite the photos appearing to show them alone. However, Russini eventually resigned from The Athletic, after it reportedly requested evidence of such a friends trip.
In her resignation letter, she said she hoped the move would prevent the story from growing any further.
Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now - before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career."
The Athletic is reportedly continuing to investigate the matter. Russini had worked as an NFL reporter for more than a decade with The Athletic and ESPN, often covering Vrabel.
An NFL spokesperson has already said the league will not review whether Vrabel violated its personal-conduct policy. The Patriots organization has not indicated if any sort of investigation is underway.
Vrabel, a member of the Patriots' Hall of Fame as a player, is entering his second season as the franchise's head coach, after six seasons coaching the Tennessee Titans. His first year in New England was highly successful, winning NFL Coach of the Year after posting a 14-3 record and reaching Super Bowl LX, where they lost to the Seattle Seahawks.