New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel broke his silence on Wednesday over photos that set off one of the NFL’s most talked-about controversies this month, but stopped well short of addressing the full scope of what the images implied. Earlier this month, pictures circulated showing Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini hugging and holding hands at a resort in Arizona.
The images drew immediate scrutiny because both are married to other people. Russini, who was working for The Athletic at the time, resigned shortly after the photos spread, releasing a lengthy public statement in which she denied any wrongdoing. Vrabel, by contrast, said nothing until now.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Thursday’s NFL draft, Vrabel acknowledged the situation in carefully measured terms, neither confirming nor denying that his relationship with Russini crossed any lines. “I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” he said. “Those have been positive and productive.
We believe that in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me.” He went on to address the distraction the episode had caused, adding: “We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of a distraction. Those are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team and with the team. We’ll keep those private and to ourselves.”
Vrabel also acknowledged that the story would not simply fade away for reporters, particularly given that it contributed to a colleague losing her job. “I know that that’s not easy for you, and I respect that, and I appreciate your efforts in doing so,” he said, while also explaining the delay in his public response.
“I understand I could have addressed you guys sooner, but it was important to me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday, very candidly, as we began our offseason program, which everyone is excited to be a part of.”
The coach wrapped up by making it clear he would not revisit the subject, saying he did not want the controversy to overshadow the incoming draft class. “I also don’t want to take away from the draft, the weekend of the draft,” Vrabel said.
“This is an important time for us, our organization and the excitement and the joy that those players are going to have that we bring onto our football team. They’re starting an amazing journey, one that should be celebrated as we welcome them onto our team.” Vrabel does not appear to face any professional consequences over the matter — a contrast that has not gone unnoticed given Russini’s departure.
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