Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesHead coach Mike Vrabel won’t be with the Patriots for Day 3 of the draft, and that’s a massive impact on a team that has eight total picks on Saturday.
The Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini controversy has officially affected the football side of the New England Patriots. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the head coach won’t be with the Patriots on Day 3 of the draft to seek counseling. Vrabel, his wife Jen, and their two sons will be together outside of Massachusetts.
“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,” Vrabel told ESPN on Wednesday night. “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.”
Back on April 7, the New York Post published fotos of Mike Vrabel and former The Athletic insider Dianna Russini holding hands and hugging each other at a resort in Arizona. Initially, Vrabel said “these photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
However, he changed the tone during his first media availability after the incident on Tuesday. Vrabel said he had “some difficult conversations with people I care about.”
To ESPN, Vrabel said that seeking counseling is part of that process.
“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,” Vrabel added. “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.”
Previously, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel, Eliot Wolf, mentioned that Vrabel participated normally in their pre-draft meetings and the entire process. Now, though, the off-the-field incident will have a real impact on football matters.
New England enters the draft with 11 total draft picks, including eight on Day 3 - two fourths, a fifth, four sixths, and a seventh-rounder. The fact that Vrabel won’t be in the room when the Patriots make 72% of their picks shows how impactful this episode has been for everyone involved - and now it’s affecting the entire Patriots organization as well.