Patriots Issue Statement On Mike Vrabel's Looming Draft Absence

The New England Patriots have released a statement in support of head coach Mike Vrabel, who is reportedly set to seek counseling this weekend during the NFL Draft. This comes after a second set of photos were posted to social media showing the Patriots head coach and reporter Dianna Russini at a dimly-lit bar.

A source told the New York Post's Page Six that the photos were taken at Tribeca Tavern in New York City back in 2020. This comes after both were spotted in Arizona at the time of the NFL Annual Meetings at an adults-only resort.

"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 our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment," the Patriots wrote in a statement.

“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."

The first set of photos were taken late last month, where Vrabel and Russini, the now-former NFL reporter for The Athletic, were seen embracing and holding hands. Russini has since resigned from her position with The Athletic, which is owned by the New York Times.