New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, embroiled in a controversy involving his relationship with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini, is stepping away from the team indefinitely to seek counseling and be with his family.
The news, first reported by ESPN, means Vrabel will miss part of the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday. Vrabel will be away from the team all day on Saturday.
Saturday is the day the NFL Draft will complete rounds 4 through 7. The Patriots currently own eight picks in those rounds, including two in the fourth round.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates after the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Jan. 25, 2026. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Club vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf will orchestrate the entire draft for the Patriots along with vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden. While Vrabel is available by phone for input, it obviously won’t be the same for the Patriots as it was in the 2025 draft, the coach’s first with the team.
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“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I would give them the best version of me that I possibly can give them,” Vrabel said in a statement to ESPN.
“To do that, I have committed to seeking counselling, starting this weekend. It’s something I’ve given a lot of thought to and would advise any player to do if I was counseling them.
“I’ve always wanted to lead by example and I believe that’s what I need to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I can possibly be. It’s not an easy thing for me to admit, but it’s something that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL’s annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
While this may seem like good news because Vrabel obviously sees a problem he needs to fix, the timing of his separation from the team suggests the situation is serious and requires immediate attention regardless of the NFL calendar.
It should be noted that the Patriots also just started their offseason program this week, and it will continue into next week, possibly without Vrabel.
The counseling is apparently a step Vrabel is taking to improve himself, but also save his marriage.
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Vrabel plans to be with his wife Jennifer and his two sons outside of Massachusetts, ESPN reported.
Vrabel and Jennifer have been married since 1999. In 2024, they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a trip to Italy. The couple met while both were student-athletes at Ohio State University.
It has been a tough month for Vrabel, albeit because he took it upon himself.
Days after returning from the NFL’s annual meeting in Phoenix on March 31, Vrabel was contacted by the New York Post for comment about the newspaper’s possession of apparently compromising photos of the coach and Russini, who was working for The Athletic at the time as an NFL reporter.
The coach and reporter spent time together in Sedona, Arizona ahead of the league meetings at an adult resort, where they were photographed sunbathing by a pool, in a hot tub, at a bar and on the roof of a bungalow, holding hands and embracing.
Both Vrabel and Russini, who are also married, denied any wrongdoing. The coach called the idea “ridiculous”.
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No one was laughing when The Athletic launched an investigation into its reporter’s conduct, leading to her resignation, and Vrabel was forced to talk to his family, Patriots ownership and his players about the trip.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel talks with quarterback Drake Maye during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Sept. 7, 2025. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
He spoke to reporters about the situation Tuesday, making his first public comments on the matter.
Vrabel did not explain what happened and did not admit or deny anything about his relationship with Russini.
But he admitted it has been difficult to talk to the people he values.
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“I’ve had some tough conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” he said.
It seems that the difficult conversations are not over.
