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Shortly after the New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel addressed the viral vacation photos with NFL reporter Dianna Russini, he shared he will be missing the team draft day as he seeks counseling.
By Olivia Evans Apr 23, 2026 3:53 PM | Updated 8 minutes ago
NFL Reveals Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel’s Fate Amid Dianna Russini Scandal
Mike Vrabel is starting a journey to self-improvement after a particularly rough month.
Shortly after the New England Patriots head coach broke his silence on the fallout from the aftermath of photos of himself and NFL reporter Dianna Russini looking close on vacation going viral, he shared an update concerning his absence at the NFL draft.
“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,” Vrabel said in a statement obtained by ESPN April 22. “In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend.”
Indeed, while the NFL draft’s final rounds will continue into April 25, Vrabel shared why he has opted to miss the occasion.
“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,” the coach continued. "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.”
The 50-year-old—who shares sons Tyler, 25, and Carter, 24, with wife Jen Vrabel—admitted the decision to forgo the draft was not easy, though said it would ensure he becomes “a better person.”
“I appreciate the support that everyone has given me,” Vrabel added, “and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
Just days earlier, the former NFL star shared he had been having “difficult conversations” with his loved ones following the scandal with Russini.
John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
“My family, the organization, coaches, the players—those have been positive and productive,” he said during an April 21 press conference. “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.”
For Russini’s part, she opted to resign from her role at The Athletic the week after the vacation photos were published. (Both Russini and Vrabel previously denied any nefarious activity taking place in the photos, originally published by Page Six earlier this month.)
“I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept," Russini said in an April 14 statement. “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."
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