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NFL Reveals Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel’s Fate Amid Dianna Russini Scandal
Mike Vrabel is hoping he can finally push this drama into the end zone.
The New England Patriots head coach shared insight into how he’s dealt with the fallout from the cozy-looking photos of him and The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, including addressing the situation with the people in his personal and professional life.
“I've had some difficult conversations with people that I care about,” Vrabel said during an April 21 press conference. “My family, the organization, coaches, the players—those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me.”
The 50-year-old expressed his regret that the situation may have had a negative effect on the team and that he may have been the “cause of distraction, comments and questions.” However, he noted that the specifics of any conversations he’s had would be kept private.
“I care deeply about this football team and I’m excited to coach them,” he continued. “I also know that I'm gonna attack each day with humility and focus.”
And before he signed off, Vrabel shared a renewed commitment to his team, his loved ones and the larger Patriots community.
“What I can promise you” he said, “is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans, most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward. That's what I know, and I'm excited to do that.”
Immediately after the photos of Vrabel and Russini, both married to other people, were published on April 7, they each issued their own statements denying the photos showed anything untoward.
John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images; Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said in a statement to Page Six. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
And while Russini told the outlet the pair were joined by six other people, and that reporters often “interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues,” she ultimately resigned from her role with The Athletic less than a week later.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published," she wrote in an April 14 letter to Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg obtained by The Associated Press. "Unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts."
And though she expressed gratitude for The Athletic’s unwavering support, she confirmed she felt the need to resign.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images/Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for SiriusXM
“This media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept," she continued. "Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now—before my current contract expires on June 30.”
She continued, “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.”
Meanwhile, Vrabel’s role in the NFL remains unchanged.
On April 18, NFL chief spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN that the organization’s personal conduct policy requires to coaches to avoid "conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League” and that the NFL would not be reviewing Vrabel’s behavior accordingly.
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