
Lynx's Collier (ankle) sidelined until at least June
Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier sidelined until at least June due to ankle surgery.
Mike Vrabel addressed the media regarding his relationship with Dianna Russini after her resignation from the New York Times due to leaked personal photos. He expressed gratitude for the patience shown by those involved and emphasized the importance of the upcoming NFL draft.
Mentioned in this story
Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots speaks to the media on Feb. 25, 2026. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel spoke out on his relationship with The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini on Tuesday, eight days after the journalist stepped down from the New York Timesā sports publication once personal photos of the pair were made public.
āThank you for your patience that youāve shown in a personal and private matter for me and obviously everybody involved. I know that thatās not easy for you and I respect that and I appreciate that,ā Vrabel said Tuesday during a press conference.
The coach carried on, mentioning that he didnāt want any of his drama to overshadow the NFL draft, which takes place Thursday through Saturday this week.
āI understand I couldāve addressed you guys sooner, but it was important to me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday, very candidly,ā Vrabel said. āWith that being said, Iāve had some difficult conversations with people I care about about ā with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players.ā
He added that those discussions have beenĀ āpositive and productive.ā
āIn order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team, never want to be the cause of distraction,ā Vrabel said. āI know Iām going to attack each day with humility and focus.ā
Russini resigned from the New York Times-owned sports publication on April 14 after Page Six published photos that showed her hugging and holding hands with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, sparkingĀ an internal investigation.
The photos showed Russini and Vrabel at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona, where the pair reportedly also ate breakfast together and spent time at the hotelās pool and hot tub. Russini noted that sports reporters frequently meet sources outside of stadiums, while Vrabel said the photos showed āa completely innocent interaction.ā
Mike Vrabel expressed gratitude for the patience shown by those involved in his personal matter with Dianna Russini during a press conference.
Dianna Russini stepped down from the New York Times after personal photos of her and Mike Vrabel were made public.
Mike Vrabel highlighted the upcoming NFL draft, taking place Thursday through Saturday, as an important event that he did not want overshadowed by his personal issues.

Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier sidelined until at least June due to ankle surgery.

Liam Rosenior calls Chelsea's performance 'indefensible' after 3-0 loss to Brighton.

Chelsea's head coach Liam Rosenior calls team's display 'indefensible' after 3-0 loss.
Chelsea's 3-0 defeat to Brighton highlights club turmoil and poor decisions.
Derrick Brown is leading the Panthers in offseason workouts focused on team bonding.
Jimmy Garoppolo is considering retirement, but the Rams hope he'll stay as Matthew Stafford's backup.
See every story in Sports ā including breaking news and analysis.