Mike Vrabel off-field matter not a distraction for Patriots, Drake Maye says: 'He's a great human being'

While Vrabel and Russini both initially denied that they had a romantic relationship, the Patriots coach has since softened that stance. He said ahead of the draft that he takes "accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about -- my family, this football team, the organization, and our fans." Russini resigned from her role at The Athletic.

Vrabel pledged to be the best version of himself for his family and the Patriots, and Maye is on board with that.

"I know he's got the right mindset, and I know he's a great human being," Maye said. "Like I said, I love playing for him."

The NFL will not pursue a personal conduct investigation into Vrabel, and the Patriots publicly backed his decision to seek counseling and take a brief leave to pursue counseling.

Maintaining trust with his players is critical if Vrabel is to produce another stellar season in his second year with the Patriots. Year 1 was a resounding success, as he oversaw a 10-win regular-season turnaround from the campaign prior and guided New England to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018. The core of last season's roster (starting with Maye and his stellar running back tandem) remains intact, so there exists an opportunity to string together multiple fruitful seasons at the start of Vrabel's tenure.