New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, after being embroiled in the Arizona vacation photo scandal, suffered another setback.
Vrable speaks on Tuesday, April 21, after New York Post posted photos of him vacationing with former Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort on April 7, 2026.
Patriots coach Vrabel will now no longer be available to the Patriots ahead of the NFL Day 3 Draft scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2026, due to a search for personal health support.
Vrable, seeking personal advice, revealed: “Like I said the other day, I promised my family and this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I could give them. »
Revealing why he believes he needs to focus on his wellbeing, he said: “To do this I have committed to seeking advice from this weekend onwards.
“It’s something I’ve thought about a lot and it’s something I would advise a player to do if I were advising them.”
Vrabel explained while taking a “family comes first” approach: “I’ve always wanted to lead by example, and I believe that’s what I need to do to be the best husband, father and coach I can be.
This isn’t an easy thing for me to admit, but I know it will make me a better person. I appreciate the support everyone has given me and I promise stronger resolve as a result,” added Vrabel.
For those who don’t know him, Vrabel appeared in public, speaking to the media on Tuesday, April 21, for the first time since New York City carried photos that appeared to show the Patriots coach vacationing with NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort.
However, Vrabel dismissed the rumors, telling reporters that it was a “personal and private matter.”
The Patriots enter the NFL Draft with 11 picks, including the 13th pick in the first round.
While eight of their picks are in the final day of the draft, two in the fourth round, one in the fifth, four in the sixth and one in the seventh round, on Saturday, April 25.
