Mike Vrabel returns to Patriots after missing Day 3 of the NFL Draft

TL;DR

Mike Vrabel returned to the New England Patriots after missing Day 3 of the NFL Draft due to personal reasons. His absence was linked to a controversy involving photos taken at an adults-only resort in Arizona.

Key points

Mike Vrabel returned to the Patriots after missing Day 3 of the NFL Draft
His absence was due to personal reasons and seeking counseling
Controversy arose from photos taken at an adults-only resort in Arizona
Eliot Wolf managed the team during Vrabel's absence
The Patriots are in Phase 1 of their offseason workout program

Mentioned in this story

Mike VrabelNew England PatriotsThe AthleticArizonaDianna Russini

FOXBOROUGH, MA - JANUARY 4: Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots smiles along the sidelines during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.(Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images The New England Patriots’ head coach is back in the facility. After missing the third day of the NFL Draft due to personal reasons, Mike Vrabel was back at work on Monday. Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston was first to report Vrabel’s return. Vrabel’s absence stemmed from him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini getting photographed at an adults-only resort in Arizona earlier this offseason. Both claimed the pictures were taken out of context in initial statements, but Russini was later forced to resigned from The Athletic. Vrabel, meanwhile, admitted he had to have “difficult conversations with people that I care about” in an impromptu press conference last week. Shortly thereafter, news broke that Vrabel would miss Day 3 of the draft while seeking counseling. “My priorities are my family and this football team, in that order,” he later said. “And there’s a balance there that I’m going to create. My family needs me this weekend, and that’s where I’ll be. With Vrabel absent, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and the rest of ’s scouting department ran the show on Saturday. The contact with the head coach, meanwhile, was limited. “Last night we kind of talked through things and made the decision that the time away really needs to be time away, so we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just, ‘Hope everything’s going OK’ kind of texts early this morning,” Wolf said on Saturday afternoon. “Just words of encouragement. He knows he knows our process, and again, we talked about what kind of players we needed to add. We knew what kind of players that he liked, and obviously we drafted some of the guys that he had an affinity for today.” The Patriots are currently in Phase 1 of their offseason workout program.

Q&A

Why did Mike Vrabel miss Day 3 of the NFL Draft?

Mike Vrabel missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft to focus on personal matters and seek counseling.

What was the controversy surrounding Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini?

The controversy involved photos of Vrabel and Russini at an adults-only resort in Arizona, which both claimed were taken out of context.

Who managed the Patriots during Mike Vrabel's absence?

During Vrabel's absence, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and the scouting department managed the team's draft activities.

Mike Vrabel returns to Patriots after missing Day 3 of the NFL Draft

TL;DR

Key points

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