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After weeks of silence on the matter, the New England Patriots have finally weighed in on the alleged affair involving head coach Mike Vrabel and former reporter for The Athletic, Dianna Russini.
Vrabel and Russini were first seen together at an exclusive resort in Arizona in early April, but denied any allegations of infidelity.
The New York Times, which owns The Athletic, then looked further into the situation, leading to Russini announcing her resignation but remaining steadfast in her denial of an affair.
However, this week, Vrabel announced that he would not be with the Patriots’ organization for the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft in order to “seek counseling.’
That news broke just hours before the New York Post published photos of the two together in 2020 that seemingly showed Vrabel kissing Russini in a New York City bar. Vrabel was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans at the time.
Now, New England appears to have reached their breaking point when it comes to holding off on comments.
New England Patriots Issue Support For Mike Vrabel Amid Dianna Russini Scandal
Just hours before the 2026 NFL Draft was set to begin in Pittsburgh, the Patriots’ organization issued a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter expressing their support for Vrabel as he seeks counseling for his personal life.
Patriots’ statement on Mike Vrabel:
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 23, 2026
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the statement began. “Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Should the Patriots make a pick during Thursday’s first round of the draft, Vrabel is expected to address members of the media afterward. New England currently holds the 31st pick in the draft.