Mike Vrabel is already back to work! The head coach of the New England Patriots returned to the team facility on Monday after missing the third day of the NFL Draft for family counseling in wake of his alleged affair with former ESPN and New York Times reporter Dianna Russini.
Aaron Rodgers lasted two more days in complete and total darkness than Vrabel spent in therapy.
I don’t want to speculate on the dynamics of a family going through a serious crisis but this latest NFL scandal does not seem to be a huge priority for the head coach. If there was a time of year to take extended time away from the organization, this would be it!
Aaron Rodgers spent four days in darkness.
Before we go any further down this path, let me be very clear that I am not trying to compare apples to apples. These are two very different situations that involve two very different individuals. It’s not the same.
But with that being said, the optics are not great.
Rodgers, who did not get caught finger-locking with an NFL reporter who frequently reports on his team, spent four nights in complete isolation during the 2023 offseason. He was trying to learn more about himself while trying to decide on whether or not he was going to return to football in 2024.
“It’s just kind of sitting in silence, which most of us never do. We rarely even turn our phone off or put the blinds down to sleep in darkness. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The then-39-year-old lived in a single-room “little house” with blacked-out windows, two slots where food is dropped in and no other human contact. No books, no tablets, nothing. Just him and his thoughts.
People already had their opinions on Rodgers before the darkness retreat. Those who don’t like the legendary NFL quarterback were quick to clown him for his choice to live in isolation. They found it to be weird and performative. Fair enough. To each their own.
Mike Vrabel is already back to work after counseling.
Lets compare Rodgers’ darkness retreat to Mike Vrabel’s counseling. Again, it’s not exactly the same.
However, Rodgers spent four days in complete darkness to decide whether or not he wanted to play another season in the NFL. Vrabel spent only two days at therapy after an alleged affair.
The New England Patriots made a huge deal about their head coach’s decision to leave the team during the third day of the NFL Draft. They even made sure not to text or call him while he focused on his family.
This, after he was caught having questionable relations (to say the least) with a reporter for SIX YEARS.
I understand that life must go on. The Patriots are standing by him. Work does not stop for scandals.
I would also imagine the Vrabel children were in attendance at the aforementioned family counseling. They went back to school on Monday. Their dad went back to work. I get it.
But still, Vrabel took two days off for family counseling and then went right back to the office as if he didn’t take two days off for family counseling. Rodgers spent four days with only his thoughts in total darkness under far less important circumstances.