New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed reporters at Gillette Stadium ahead of the NFL Draft on Thursday after new photographs of him with reporter Dianna Russini were published earlier in the day. Vrabel, who will not be in attendance for part of the draft, said his actions “don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to.”
Vrabel and Russini are both married to other people. Russini resigned from the Athletic on April 14.
“I understand that there are questions. I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about, my family, this football team, the organization, and our fans. My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don’t,” Vrabel said. “What I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team is for us to take the necessary steps to work together, and to give them what I told them I’d give them, which is the best version of me and that’s what we’re going to do. That’s gonna start, that has started, that’ll continue this weekend, and it’ll continue for however long it takes for me to give them and complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible. That’s what’s gonna happen and that’s what’s been happening.”
“My family needs me this weekend”
Vrabel thanked Patriots owners Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft for their support, along with his coaching staff and players.
“My priorities are my family and this football team. In that order. There is a balance there that I am going to create. My family needs me this weekend. And that’s where I’ll be,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel was initially scheduled to address reporters after the first night of the draft if the team selects a player in the opening round.
“I ask that somehow you can allow those players that we bring onto this football team, allow them the excitement and joy of starting a journey. I hope that you can do that. I’m focused on this team going forward, and out of respect to my family, I won’t have anymore comments or answers to touch on,” Vrabel said.
The former Patriots linebacker who is set to enter her his second year as New England’s head coach first told ESPN’s Mike Reiss late Wednesday night that he will not be at the third day of the draft on Saturday as he seeks counseling.
Mike Vrabel photos with Dianna Russini
On April 7, the New York Post published photos of Vrabel with Russini, an NFL insider for the Athletic, at the Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Arizona in late March.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN Thursday night that Vrabel’s situation does not fall under the league’s personal conduct policy, adding that it is a team matter. An NFL spokesman previously said that the league is not looking into the matter for potential discipline.
Vrabel addressed the situation for the first time on Tuesday. He did not mention Russini or the photos, but said he has had “difficult conversations” with people he cares about.
On Thursday, the Post released new photos, claiming Vrabel and Russini were seen together at a New York City bar on March 11, 2020, when Vrabel was the coach of the Tennessee Titans and Russini worked with ESPN.
Also on Thursday, the Patriots released a statement saying they support Vrabel’s decision to seek counseling.