Mike Vrabel has joined the New England Patriots after considering offers from the Jets and Bears. His experience and past success with the Patriots make him an ideal fit for the team.
Key points
Mike Vrabel chose the New England Patriots as head coach
He interviewed with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears
Vrabel won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots
The Patriots have a promising young quarterback
Vrabel's hiring is seen as a perfect fit
Mentioned in this story
Mike Vrabel
New England PatriotsNew York JetsChicago Bears
Mike Vrabel chose wisely.
No, no, no. I’m not referring to what you think I am. Not directly, at least.
In the weeks after the 2024 NFL season ended, Vrabel had options. He interviewed with the New York Jets and the Chicago Bears, and would have been at the top of several other teams’ wish lists if he and the New England Patriots hadn’t quickly come to a deal.
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It’s not that Vrabel’s situation isn’t messy. It is. Every few days, it seems, there are new photos or anecdotes suggesting the relationship between Vrabel and Russini, both of whom are married to and have children with other people, was not strictly professional.
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.
See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.
Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots celebrates with this son after defeating the Carolina Panthers 32-29 inSuper Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium on February 1, 2004, in Houston, Texas.
Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Line Backer Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots standing on the field looking on during the game against the Buffalo Bills at the Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bills 21-11.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots catches a two yard touchdown in the third quarter against cornerback Lito Sheppard #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Florida.
New England Patriots line backer Mike Vrabel celebrates his touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX 06 February 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. The Patriots are leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter.
Tony Fisher #40 of the Green Bay Packers runs the ball against Mike Vrabel #50 the New England Patriots during the second quarter on October 13, 2002, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots 28-10.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots celebrates with Stefon Diggs #8 after a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on during training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on August 13, 2025, in Eagan, Minnesota.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with Drake Maye #10 prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on October 05, 2025, in Orchard Park, New York.
Former player Mike Vrabel speaks during a New England Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony during halftime of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks on in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on November 19, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida.
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel runs on the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Will Levis #8 of the Tennessee Titans talks with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium on September 17, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.
See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.
Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
1 / 18
See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.
See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.
Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
2 / 18
See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots celebrates with this son after defeating the Carolina Panthers 32-29 inSuper Bowl XXXVIII at Reliant Stadium on February 1, 2004, in Houston, Texas.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots poses for his 2005 NFL headshot at photo day in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
5 / 18
See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Line Backer Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots standing on the field looking on during the game against the Buffalo Bills at the Foxboro Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Patriots defeated the Bills 21-11.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Linebacker Mike Vrabel #50 of the New England Patriots catches a two yard touchdown in the third quarter against cornerback Lito Sheppard #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX at Alltel Stadium on February 6, 2005, in Jacksonville, Florida.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
New England Patriots line backer Mike Vrabel celebrates his touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX 06 February 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. The Patriots are leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Tony Fisher #40 of the Green Bay Packers runs the ball against Mike Vrabel #50 the New England Patriots during the second quarter on October 13, 2002, at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots 28-10.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots celebrates with Stefon Diggs #8 after a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots looks on during training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center on August 13, 2025, in Eagan, Minnesota.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks with Drake Maye #10 prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on October 05, 2025, in Orchard Park, New York.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Former player Mike Vrabel speaks during a New England Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony during halftime of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks on in the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on November 19, 2023, in Jacksonville, Florida.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel runs on the field before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Will Levis #8 of the Tennessee Titans talks with Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium on January 07, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coach
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Nissan Stadium on September 17, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Just this week, in fact, TMZ reported they’d taken a private boat trip together in 2021, while Russini was pregnant with her first child. Complete with photos of their signed safety waivers!
This steady diet of tawdriness would probably not go over well with some other teams. Like, say the Bears, which are owned by the very Catholic McCaskeys. Or a team whose principal owner is a woman.
For the Patriots, though, this doesn’t even qualify as a major scandal.
Patriots' history of scandal extends beyond Spygate, Deflategate
First came Spygate, so named because New England was caught spying on opponents and filming their signals in 2007. The Patriots and coach Bill Belichick were fined a total of $750,000 and docked a first-round draft pick as punishment — and there are still some NFL owners who think they got off too easily.
That contributed to the uproar over Deflategate, when the Patriots were accused in 2015 of deflating footballs to make them easier for Tom Brady to throw. The science on it was dubious, but the Patriots were still fined $1 million and docked another first-round pick, as well as a fourth-rounder.
Brady also was suspended for the first four games of the 2016 season because NFL commissioner Roger Goodell didn’t buy Brady’s story about destroying all his old cell phones. Turned out, the only cell phone Brady destroyed just happened to be the one the NFL wanted to see.
The tight end was charged in June 2013 with first-degree murder, less than a year after he signed a $39.58 million, five-year extension with New England. The Patriots immediately released Hernandez, and he was convicted of murder in April 2015.
So, yeah, a coach appearing to be having an affair pales in comparison. Even if it is with a member of the media and raises questions about where Russini was getting her information.
The Patriots won't abandon Mike Vrabel
If Vrabel quits, or steps away, it will be because he chooses to, not because the Patriots forced it. They long ago decided that winning matters more than character, and Vrabel taking New England to the Super Bowl in his first season is going to far outweigh being a liar and a cheat.
Vrabel has baggage. So do the Patriots. It makes for a perfect marriage.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
