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The Patriots have released a statement after news broke late Wednesday night into Thursday that head coachMike Vrabel will be seeking counseling and, in turn, will miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL draft.
Vrabel, 50, told ESPN late Wednesday night that he’ll be with his wife, Jen, and two sons outside of Massachusetts this weekend. This comes amid the release of new photos by Page Six of him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini—the latestshowing the pair together at a New York City bar in March 2020.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the team said in a statement Thursday. “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 predraft 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.”
Russini resigned from her position as senior NFL reporter at The Athletic last week, while saying that she refused to let the ongoing media narrative define her or her career. Before Russini’s resignation, the publication had opened an investigation into her conduct and her relationship with Vrabel.
Vrabel and the Patriots are coming off an appearance in Super Bowl LX in February. The coach was seen in the Patriots’ new football facilities last week, with executive vice president Eliot Wolf calling his involvement in the team’s predraft process “business as usual.” Vrabel initially broke his silence in a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying, in part, that he’d had difficult conversations with his family, the organization and the players—and that they had been, “positive and productive.”
New England holds 11 picks in the 2026 NFL draft, including the No. 31 selection in the first round. Should the Patriots make a selection on Thursday night, either Vrabel or Wolf will address the media in Foxborough, Mass.
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MIKE KADLICK
Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master's in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.
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