While head coaches’ influence in draft rooms varies from team to team, they are regularly present throughout draft weekend. Mike Vrabel will only be available for part of the Patriots’ draft this year, however.
The second-year New England HC will miss Day 3 of the draft this year. Not long after making a statement after the New York Post published photos showing he and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at a resort in Arizona, Vrabel told ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss he will be with his family on Saturday.
“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. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said. “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.
“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. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
The photographs released by the Post showed Vrabel and Russini hugging and holding hands. Vrabel and his wife, Jen, have two sons. The 50-year-old HC told media this week this is a “personal and private matter,” and indicated he “had some difficult conversations with people I care about — with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players.” Russini resigned from The Athletic days after the Post published the photos.
Although Vrabel will be with his family Saturday, he told Reiss he will remain in contact with team decisionmakers. De facto GM Eliot Wolf and VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden are set to lead the draft room. This will be Wolf’s second draft with an official title atop the Patriots’ front office, though the veteran exec — initially brought in during Bill Belichick‘s HC/GM run — ran the 2024 draft before being named executive VP of player personnel. Vrabel brought in Cowden, his longtime Titans coworker whom he ultimately preferred be named GM during the team’s 2023 search process, shortly after his Pats hire in 2025. Although a report following Vrabel’s hire indicated he effectively overtook Wolf as the top Patriots decisionmaker, both he and Wolf report to ownership in New England.
The Pats have 11 draft picks this year. Eight of those picks come on the final day. The defending AFC champions hold two fourth-round choices, one fifth-round selection, four in Round 6 and one in Round 7.
What a strange little piece of accountability theater this is.
I guess I’m struck by the utter stupidity here. First, that he’s married with two kids. Second, that he didn’t think that someone would see the canoodling he was doing in public. Yeah. Counseling. That’ll do the trick.
Ha, couldn’t agree more. They’re clearly just trying to find some middle ground that makes everyone happy and stop talking about it. But it couldn’t read more clearly like a consulting companies idea of “putting the matter behind us”. Specifying day 3 is just so strange. I wasn’t even thinking about this before, but now I am because of how specific and strange this update is.
I’m guessing his wife is making him go as a condition to save marriage.
Unless him and his wife were actually having real marital problems. Don’t see what the big deal is. He was out in public with a female reporter! Who cares if he was hooking up with her
His wife. His wife cares.
A head coach being romantically/sexually involved with a journalist who covers the NFL for a major outlet is unethical for both parties.
It wouldn’t save my marriage. Vows were taken and counseling isn’t an eraser.
This isn’t something that I’d pay much attention to, as it always involves a ton of hearsay, but I do wonder-who came up that original statement from Vrabel?
Yes he shouldn’t be so hard on himself for something he didn’t do.
Bill cheated on the field, Vrabel cheats off the field, & the owner knows where to get a ‘massage’ in Miami.
These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.
Married man photographed in public with a woman who’s not his wife … dontcha think that’s a bit creepy?
That was Vrabel’s initial statement after the pics were made public.
There’s a photo out now of them kissing in a bar in 2020.
The “counseling” will take place at Ambiente resort in Sedona, Arizona.
I heard a rumor that Robert DeNiro recommended Billy Crystal as a therapist for Mike Vrabel but that has yet to be confirmed 🙂
That is so special, but marriage counseling takes second to day one and two of draft. What a guy. His wife must be so proud of her cheating ahole husband.
Someone would have to be dying for me to leave my teams war room
Not to go control my d**k
Football is life and human relationships are not a priority. You sound awesome. Can’t imagine why you’re not in a war room.
Nothing says “we didn’t have an affair” like difficult conversations and counseling. So dumb
Ime Udoka that you?