New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will have some explaining to do regarding the ongoing drama with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, according to one former player.
During an appearance on NBC Sports Boston, sports reporter Michael Holley said that he spoke with a former player who insisted that the Patriots will want to hear from Vrabel, 50, about the controversy.
“I talked to a former player and he said, ‘The hell they won’t want answers,’” Holley, 56, said on Tuesday, April 14. “You think Mike Vrabel can just brush this under the rug without talking to the players?”
Holley added that the player reminded him that “coaches don’t treat us like they treat the media,” meaning a coach can’t just “stonewall” his own team.
“I think Vrabel will have to say something to his team,” Holley continued. “I think he’s gonna have to answer to something that’s been in the news for a while…for his credibility he’s gonna have to say something to the team.”
Vrabel and Russini, 43, have been in the news since last week when Page Six published photos of the two of them together at a resort in Arizona. Russini has since resigned from her position at The Athletic, while Vrabel skipped his pre-NFL Draft press conference on Monday, April 13, sending general manager Eliot Wolf instead.
Wolf, 44, insisted that Vrabel remains involved as ever in New England’s pre-draft process.
“Business as usual,” Wolf said. “He’s been in there with us probably this round a little more than he was last year.”
Wolf added, “He’s been in there, he’s been contributing. He’s watched a ton of the players. He tries to watch every player that we give to each position coach…he has an opinion on these guys. It’s helpful. Sometimes there’s players that the scouts like, me included, and he’ll be like,. ‘Well this is the reason maybe this guy’s not the best fit for us.’”
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discussed how he balances professional and personal commitments shortly before controversial pictures emerged of him with NFL insider Dianna Russini. During a February 25 press conference, Vrabel, 50, was asked about the importance of giving equal time and attention to life outside of football. “It’s probably gotten better,” […]
Both Vrabel and Russini, who are each married to other people, have insisted that the photos that caused the controversy showed nothing untoward.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told Page Six. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Russini added, “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini added in her resignation letter, which she shared via X on Tuesday, April 14.
Vrabel is not expected to address the media again until after the NFL Draft, which will take place April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
