Mike Vrabel may miss more time with Patriots

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mike Vrabel may miss more time with Patriots after new photos with Dianna Russini emerge

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Apr 24, 2026 8:06 AM ET

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is set to miss the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday to seek counseling. Now he may miss more time from the team after more photos of him with longtime NFL insider Dianna Russini surfaced on Thursday.

The New York Post published photographs of Vrabel and Russini sharing a kiss and "sitting very close to each other" in a bar in New York City in March 2020. Vrabel was married when the photo was taken and is still married to his wife. Russini, meanwhile, was engaged to her now-husband. The outlet previously revealed photos of Russini and Vrabel holding hands and hugging during a stay at a hotel in Sedona, Arizona, in late March.

After the pictures circulated online, Vrabel called an impromptu news conference before the first round of the draft. The coach apologized to his team for creating a distraction. He added that he plans to be there for his family while balancing his responsibilities as a coach.

Mike Vrabel indicates he may spend more time away from team

"I can't answer that," Vrabel said when asked if he could miss more time (h/t CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones). "I can only say whatever my family needs, that's whatever I'm going to provide."

Asked if he's going to miss any further football-related activities beyond Saturday's draft, Vrabel says he's not sure. "I can’t answer that. I can only say whatever my family needs, that’s what I’m going to provide."
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) April 23, 2026

Vrabel initially called the situation "laughable." He explained why he's changing his response nearly three weeks later.

"That's a private and personal matter," the coach said. "I think that was an attempt to protect your family."

Asked to explain how he went from calling the situation "laughable" nearly 3 weeks ago to where we are today, Vrabel says "That’s a private and personal matter. ...I think that was an attempt to protect your family."
— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) April 23, 2026

The Patriots have already issued a statement saying they're supporting Vrabel amid his decision to spend more time with family.

The Athletic is still investigating Russini's hotel photos. She has already resigned from the publication, which she joined in August 2023. She worked for ESPN from July 2015-August 2023.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on a pre-draft interview with ESPN that the Mike Vrabel situation did not fall under the league’s personal conduct policy, and that it was a team matter.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 23, 2026

It doesn't appear the NFL will discipline Vrabel. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, in an interview before the draft, commissioner Roger Goodell said it's not launching a probe because it didn't fall under the league's personal conduct policy and is a team matter.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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