New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel continues to deal with a pressing matter. While some time has passed since news of the Dianna Russini scandal broke, the fallout continues.
While the focus would typically be on the Patriots’ offseason preparations as they try to follow up a Super Bowl appearance, Vrabel’s controversy continues to make headlines. On Wednesday, Vrabel addressed reporters again and a new wrinkle emerged.
Mike Vrabel Hints at Possibly Missing Patriots OTAs Amid Scandal
As the Patriots get into their offseason activities, Vrabel shared his current intentions. Boston Herald reporter Doug Kyed captured the head coach’s thoughts on whether he may have to step away from the team again (like he did on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft when he attended counseling with his family).
Patriots HC Mike Vrabel was asked if he’ll miss any other time this spring.
“I’m going to be out there today in full force, and I mean that, because who knows what’s going to come up. I’m not even, you know, anything could happen, and so I’m going to focus on today.”
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) May 27, 2026
“I’m going to be out there today in full force, and I mean that, because who knows what’s going to come up? I’m not even, you know, anything could happen, and so I’m going to focus on today,” Vrabel said.
This all started when Vrabel and Russini were photographed together at an Arizona resort. They are married to other people and both have children. Worse, weeks later, photos from 2020 showed Russini and Vrabel kissing. The scandal led to a wide array of reactions.
First, some people believe that the coach’s personal life is just that. Others were quick to condemn the former NFL insider from The Athletic for crossing a professional line. Additionally, some believe that Vrabel is being granted more grace than others would be.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are trying to move on as a franchise. Drake Maye, fresh off an MVP-runner-up season, enters his third campaign. Last season, Maye landed at No. 2 in PFSN’s NFL QB Impact metric. It’s worth noting that Maye has supported Vrabel publicly.
The Patriots are once again a well-rounded team that should be considered a favorite in the AFC, which should be highly competitive.
If Vrabel steps away from the Patriots, it wouldn’t be the first time. Again, he missed the third day of this year’s draft to attend counseling with his family. On Wednesday, Vrabel addressed his absence from Day 3 of the draft and reacted to New England’s moves.
“No [I don’t regret missing it],” Vrabel said. “They moved around, they made some trades. This draft was pretty unique… The volume of players in the draft wasn’t what it normally is. Excited about the players that we got. Studied most of them.”
Missing the final four rounds of the draft pales in comparison to missing out on activities geared toward preparing the team for the regular season.
For now, Vrabel is present and coaching the Patriots, but it’s anyone’s guess whether he’ll have to step away at some point. Even Vrabel doesn’t know, as this scandal has featured plenty of unpredictable twists and turns.
