Mike Vrabel will not be subject to NFL's personal conduct policy after photos with Dianna Russini, league says
TL;DR
The NFL will not investigate New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel regarding photos with journalist Dianna Russini. League spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed that no personal conduct policy violations are being reviewed.
Key points
- Mike Vrabel will not face NFL investigation.
- Photos with Dianna Russini sparked scrutiny.
- NFL's personal conduct policy prohibits detrimental conduct.
Mentioned in this story
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is next set to address the media at the NFL Draft next week. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
(Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The NFL is not reviewing the behavior of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in the wake of photos taken of him with journalist Dianna Russini, league spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN's Ben Strauss.
Vrabel has been subject to scrutiny after photos of the Patriots coach and Russini, an NFL insider with The Athletic, holding hands at a luxury hotel in Arizona went public. But McCarthy said that the league would not be reviewing whether Vrabel violated the NFLās personal conduct policy, which states that players, coaches and executives must not engage in āconduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence inā the NFL.
Russini resigned from The Athletic on Tuesday, a few months before her contract was set to expire. In her letter of resignation, which she posted in full on social media, Russini said that she was stepping aside ānot because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.ā
Vrabel and the Patriots have largely declined to comment on the interaction. However, Vrabel will be attending the NFL Draft next week, and will likely be asked about the issue.
The photos were originally published in the New York Post on April 7. Per Strauss, both Russini and Vrabel were offered the chance to change the tone of the story, or keep it from running altogether, if they could provide evidence of statements that they had both been on trips with friends.
Initially, The Athletic backed Russiniās account, but when the outlet asked Russini for more evidence of her trip with friends, she was unable to provide that evidence. The Athletic opened an internal investigation into her coverage and her alleged relationship with Vrabel as a result. That investigation is ongoing, per Strauss, even after Russiniās resignation.
Q&A
Why is Mike Vrabel not being investigated by the NFL?
The NFL has stated that it will not review Mike Vrabel's behavior related to the photos with Dianna Russini, indicating no violations of the personal conduct policy.
What do the NFL's personal conduct policy guidelines entail?
The NFL's personal conduct policy prohibits players, coaches, and executives from engaging in conduct that is detrimental to the integrity and public confidence in the league.
What was the context of the photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini?
The photos showed Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini holding hands at a luxury hotel in Arizona, which led to public scrutiny but no formal investigation by the NFL.