New England Patriots Speak Out Amid Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini Scandal
The New England Patriots are breaking their silence after head coach Mike Vrabel announced he was seeking counseling in the wake of an alleged cheating scandal involving former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini.
In a statement obtained Thursday, Apr. 23, by Page Six, the organization said it supports Vrabel's decision to prioritize his family, which includes his wife Jennifer and their two sons.
Vrabel is also expected to miss the third and final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, which is on Saturday, Apr. 25. He is currently expected to be in the draft room on Thursday night.
"The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel's decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being," the statement read. "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," the statement continued. "While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and [Patriots Executive Vice President of Player Personnel] Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend."
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Last week, photos published in the New York Post showed Russini and Vrabel holding hands and hugging at a luxury hotel in Arizona.
After the pictures went viral, Russini and Vrabel both called the photos "misleading" and vehemently denied rumors of an affair. The journalist has been married to Kevin Goldschmidt since 2020 while the football coach has been married to Jennifer since 1999.
Russini's Athletic editor Steven Ginsberg also came to their defense, telling NBC News that the photos lacked "essential context."
"These were public interactions in front of many people," Ginsberg said. "Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we're proud to have her at The Athletic."
Nevertheless, Russini resigned from the publication on Apr. 14, and Vrabel announced on Thursday, Apr. 23 that he would be seeking counseling in the wake of the scandal.
On Apr. 23, Page Six released photos that appeared to show Russini and Vrabel kissing at a bar in New York City in March 2020-seemingly confirming the alleged affair and sparking questions about the timeline of the pair's relationship.
Neither Russini or Vrabel have publicly addressed the release of the new photos.
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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 4:09 PM.