A week after NFL insider Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic following the release of photos showing her with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury hotel in Arizona, Vrabel addressed reporters on Tuesday. It was his first public comments since the New York Post's Page Six published images of the two holding hands, hugging, and spending time poolside on April 7.
Both Russini and Vrabel are married to other people. Russini has been a prominent NFL newsbreaker who has covered Vrabel and the league for years. In his statement, Vrabel acknowledged having difficult conversations with loved ones, his family, the organization, coaches, and players. He described these talks as positive and productive, emphasizing the importance of making good decisions on and off the field.
Vrabel stressed that he never wants his actions to negatively affect the team or cause distractions. He also noted that the NFL is not reviewing whether he violated the league's personal conduct policy, as confirmed by NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy to ESPN's Ben Strauss. Vrabel thanked the media for their patience, calling the situation a personal and private matter.
He explained that he prioritized speaking with his players first during the offseason program and arranged to address reporters to avoid overshadowing the upcoming NFL Draft. The Patriots are set to pick 31st overall in the 2026 draft. Russini resigned from The Athletic amid an investigation, publishing her resignation letter on X, where she defended her professionalism and criticized the media frenzy surrounding the incident.
Vrabel, now entering his second season as head coach of the Patriots—a team where he won three Super Bowl rings as a player—concluded by promising to approach each day with humility and focus, vowing to give his best to his family, the organization, and fans.