The New England head coach addressed the media ahead of the NFL Draft.

Mike Vrabel says he is working to be the ‘best version of me,’ as new pics of him canoodling with Dianna Russini emerge

The New England head coach addressed the media ahead of the NFL Draft.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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April 23, 2026 9:15 p.m. ET

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on February 10. Credit:

John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty

- Mike Vrabel addressed the media ahead of the NFL Draft and cited his "previous actions."

- The statement comes as additional pictures of him canoodling with NFL reporter Dianna Russini emerged.

- The reporter and coach were recently photographed together at a resort in Sedona this April.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel says that he's working to be the "best version of me," following the release of more photos of him and NFL reporter Diana Russini.

News had already broken that Vrabel would not be present on Saturday for day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft and that he would instead seek counseling, a move that the Patriots said they "fully support." But then as further evidence of a relationship between Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, emerged on Thursday, Vrabel held a press conference just ahead of the draft's kickoff.

"I take accountability for my actions, and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care the most about: my family, this football team, the organization, and our fans," the three-time Super Bowl champion said. "My previous actions don't meet the standard that I hold myself to. And what I believe is best for the two most important things in my life — my family and this football team — are for us to take the necessary steps to work together and to give them what I told them I'd give to them, which is the best version of me, and that's what we're going to do."

He continued, "That [process] has started, that will continue this weekend, and that will continue for however long it takes for me to complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible."

Vrabel said that he will "create" a "balance" between his family and the Patriots, and "my family needs me this weekend." He added that he won't have any further comment out of respect for his family.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel; Dianna Russini, former 'The Athletic' NFL reporter.

Dylan Buell/Getty; Cindy Ord/Getty

“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the Patriots said in a statement on Thursday. “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.”

At noon Eastern on Thursday, Page Six published photos from 2020 of Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini canoodling in a New York City bar. The new photos arise after the outlet on April 7 published photos taken in March of them holding hands at a resort.

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At the time the newly surfaced photos were taken in 2020 at the Tribeca Tavern, then-head coach of the Tennessee Titans Vrabel was married to his wife, Jen; meanwhile, Russini was working at ESPN and six months away from marrying her now-husband Kevin Goldschmidt. Both Vrabel and Russini share two children with their respective spouses.

Vrabel told ESPN on Wednesday that he would miss the third day of the NFL draft to enter counseling.

"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," he began. "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.”**

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“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 continued. “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 photographs of the NFL coach and the reporter published in April by Page Six showed them holding hands and hugging at a resort in Sedona, Ariz. Both Russini and Vrabel denied there was anything going on between them.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told the *New York Post*. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini told the publication, “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.”

A week after the Sedona photos were published, Russini announced that she was resigning from *The Athletic*, the sports department of *The New York Times*.

Dianna Russini in New Orleans in February 2025.

Jeff Schear/Getty

"I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published. When the Page Six item first appeared, *The Athletic *supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful."

"In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts. Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process *The Athletic *is trying to complete," she continued, referring to an internal investigation by *The* *New York Times *into the photos. "It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept."

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel in Orchard Park, New York, in 2025.

Timothy T Ludwig/Getty

Vrabel spoke about the "difficult conversations" he had with his family and the NFL during a press conference on Tuesday.

"Those have been positive and productive, and we believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me," he said.

"We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of the distraction," continued Vabrel, mentioning that the conversations had with the Patriots would be kept "private."

"I care deeply about this football team and excited to coach them," Vrabel said. "I also know that I'm going to attack each day with humility and focus. And what I can promise you is that my family, this organization, that the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans, most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward. And that's what I know, and I'm excited to do that. But I wanted to want just address this and thank you for your patience and dealing with the private and personal manner."**

** has reached out to representatives of both Vrabel and Russini, but have yet to receive a reply.

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