Mike Vrabel Says He’s Had ‘Difficult Conversations’ With Family and NFL Leadership Amid Fallout From Dianna Russini Scandal

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 Times’ sports publication once personal photos of the pair were made public.

“Thank you for your patience that you’ve shown in a personal and private matter for me and obviously everybody involved. I know that that’s not easy for you and I respect that and I appreciate that,” Vrabel said Tuesday during a press conference.

The coach carried on, mentioning that he didn’t want any of his drama to overshadow the NFL draft, which takes place Thursday through Saturday this week.

“I understand I could’ve addressed you guys sooner, but it was important to me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday, very candidly,” Vrabel said. “With that being said, I’ve had some difficult conversations with people I care about about — with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players.”

He added that those discussions have been “positive and productive.”

“In 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,” Vrabel said. “I know I’m going to attack each day with humility and focus.”

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, sparking 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 hotel’s pool and hot tub. Russini noted that sports reporters frequently meet sources outside of stadiums, while Vrabel said the photos showed “a completely innocent interaction.”