Mike Vrabel to skip some of NFL draft for counseling in wake of Dianna Russini scandal
Mike Vrabel to skip some of NFL draft for counseling in wake of Dianna Russini scandal
David K. Li Thu, April 23, 2026 at 2:10 PM UTC
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Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on Jan. 18. (Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images) (Kevin Sabitus)
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will miss a portion of the NFL Draft and undergo counseling in the wake of photos emerging of himself and former NFL reporter Dianna Russini, the team said Thursday.
He will not be with the Patriots on Saturday during the third day of the NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday night.
“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,” Vrabel said in statement originally reported by ESPN late Wednesday night.
"In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend."
The Patriots on Thursday verified the validity of that statement to NBC News.
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“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," he added.
When photos emerged of Vrabel in hand-holding positions with former Athletic reporter Russini, the coach initially dismissed the images as "laughable."
But as the story picked up steam and Russini resigned from the Athletic, Vrabel had to address the issue in Tuesday, telling reporters that he has "had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players."
Vrabel, the 2025 NFL coach of the year, led New England to a magical Super Bowl run, following three straight losing seasons and consecutive 4-13 campaigns.
The former Patriots player had previously been head coach of the Tennessee Titans. He guided that club to four winning years before he was shown the exit in the wake of back-to-back losing seasons in 2022 and 2023.
Despite Russini 's departure from her job, there've been no indications that Vrabel's job could be in jeopardy.
Source: “AOL Sports”
