New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will miss the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft as he begins counseling, a decision he announced on Wednesday following recent public scrutiny. Vrabel will remain in contact with the team remotely while front office leaders Eliot Wolf and Ryan Cowden oversee the draft room operations.
The 2026 NFL Draft, held in Pittsburgh from April 23–25, includes 11 total selections for New England, beginning with the No. 31 overall pick. Vrabel participated in the first two days before opting to step aside for the final rounds, aiming to refocus both personally and professionally while keeping the team’s draft efforts on track.
According to a statement acquired by ESPN, Vrabel will be with his family this weekend: “As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend. This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them. I have always wanted to lead by example and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
The move comes after photos published by the New York Post surfaced earlier this month, showing the married Vrabel embracing and holding hands with NFL reporter Dianna Russini (who is also married) at a resort in Sedona, Arizona. Both initially pushed back on any wrongdoing, with Vrabel calling it a “completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.” 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.” She later stepped down from her role at The Athletic amid an internal review.
After addressing the situation privately with his family and the organization, Vrabel spoke publicly this week, emphasizing accountability and a desire to avoid becoming a distraction. He acknowledged having “some difficult conversations with people that I care about” and stressed the importance of personal responsibility, saying, “We believe in order to be successful on and off the field that we have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me.”
The Patriots said in a statement released before the first round 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. 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.”
Complicating the situation further, the NY Post’s ‘Page Six’ posted additional exclusive photos on Thursday – which were taken six years before the photos of Vrabel and Russini holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort surfaced. The new photos show Vrabel and Russini spotted together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020. Sources shared that they sat close to each other while conversing at the bar, and “they were all over each other. He had a ring on.” At the time these photos were taken, Vrabel was working as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN.
Editorial credit: James quinlan / Shutterstock.com
