Patriots issue statement on Mike Vrabel skipping Day 3 of NFL draft

The New England Patriots released a statement on Thursday regarding coach Mike Vrabel‘s decision to skip Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft in wake of the controversy surrounding him and Dianna Russini, formerly of The Athletic.

According to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed, the Patriots addressed Vrabel opting to seek counseling beginning on Saturday in favor of attending Day 3 of the draft.

”The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the Patriots’ organization said regarding the matter. “Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.” “We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”

Vrabel became the topic of controversy on April 8, when a photo of him at a luxury hotel with Russini first surfaced. The presumed amorous relations between Vrabel and Russini led to the reporter resigning from The Athletic on April 14.

Vrabel issued a statement to ESPN on Thursday, just before the start of the draft, stating that he will not be present for Day 3 of the draft.

A new unearthing was added to the controversy on Thursday, when The New York Post’s Teresa Roca published a bombshell photo of Vrabel and Russini caught kissing at a bar in New York on March 11, 2020, which was confirmed by an eyewitness to the Post.

The Patriots have now come forth with their response to coach Vrabel’s decision to forego Day 3 of the draft shortly after the controversy reached new heights with the latest photo of the two emerging.