FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – The New England Patriots released a statement Thursday expressing they “fully support” Head Coach Mike Vrabel amid his personal scandal with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini, as photos reportedly showing the pair together emerge.
In the statement, the team said in part, “The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. 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.”
The New York Post released two batches of photos. The first, released on April 7, showed Vrabel in a pool and on a roof deck with Russini, who was then an NFL reporter for The Athletic. The pair was also captured hugging and holding hands at an exclusive resort in Arizona. Both are currently married to other people.
The second set of photos, which were released Thursday morning, show the two getting close at a bar in New York City in March 2020. The Page Six story said Vrabel and Russini were “all over each other” when the photos were taken. At that time, Russini was not married. Vrabel married his wife in 1999.
With the NFL draft beginning Thursday night, Patriots fans are hopeful the scandal involving their head coach will not hurt the team.
“You never want to hear that stuff come out, but I don’t know, he’s probably like most of the professional atheletes – he’ll be able to separate that from his job,” said Jeff Hersey, a Pariots fan.
“It’s too bad that he has to be a public figure and we all have to know it,” said Sonja Hersey, a Patriots fan. “It doesn’t affect him as a coach, I don’t know about as a person.”
The Page Six bombshell came just hours after ESPN reported 50-year-old Vrabel will not be present for day three of the NFL draft, which begins Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
Vrabel told ESPN, “I promised my family, this organization, and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possible give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling starting this weekend. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person.”
“He’s got to take care of his family first, then take care of your team,” said Pam Barth, a Patriots fan. “Everybody has to do their own thing with their families.”
ESPN reported Vrabel and his family are heading out of state this weekend, and he will not direcrtly particiapte in day three of the draft.
In a surprise statement Tuesday, Vrabel did not mention Russini by name, but he did refer to a personal and private matter.
“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about,” he said.
The Patriots have 11 picks in all, with eight expected to happen on Saturday. The Patriots expressed confidence in the draft team, including Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf, in making the best decisions for the team in Vrabel’s absence.
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