Mike Vrabel spoke publicly at Patriots OTAs on May 27, stressing his commitment to his family after recent photos involving Dianna Russini surfaced around the NFL draft. The Patriots backed his decision to prioritize family and personal well-being as he return
FOXBOROUGH, MA — Mike Vrabel stepped onto the practice field with the New England Patriots and answered questions as if the calendar had not shifted under him.
When asked May 27 about how he was balancing family and football, the Patriots coach kept it simple. “Oh, really good,” Vrabel said. “I appreciate my family. I love Jen. I love the boys.”
The remarks came as the team continued voluntary organized team activities (OTAs). and they marked Vrabel’s first public comments since before the first round of the NFL draft on April 23. That gap mattered because Vrabel had already made clear he would not be there on the draft’s final day—April 25—saying he would be missing it to be with his family.
“This draft was pretty unique. I don’t know if it’s been talked about — the volume of players in this draft wasn’t what it normally is,” Vrabel said May 27. “Admittedly, I don’t know if I’m gonna know the 300th player in the draft.”
His absence became tied to a separate, more personal storm. Vrabel’s schedule was complicated after the New York Post published a series of photos of Vrabel and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. Russini resigned from the New York Times-owned publication after it investigated the nature of their relationship.
Vrabel said he expected the unpredictable to keep following him. “I’m gonna be out there today (May 27) in full force,” he said. “Who knows what’s gonna come up? Anything can happen.”
Two days before the decision to miss April 25, Vrabel attempted to address the issue. He told reporters he had “difficult” conversations with people who mattered to him, including the team. Then, on the morning of the draft, more photos of Vrabel and Russini surfaced, dating back to 2020.
Still, once the focus returned to football, Vrabel emphasized what he sees as his job in the building. “I feel great. I feel like I’m trying to give them the information to help do their job,” he said.
The Patriots had already offered public support during the period Vrabel was away. In a statement. the team said it “fully support[s]” his decision “to prioritize his family first. as well as his own well-being.” It added: “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.”.
Vrabel was back with the team on April 27, after the draft-related absence, and on May 27 he returned to the same core message: family first, football still running. The question now is how cleanly both can coexist when the news cycle keeps dragging private life into public view.
Mike Vrabel New England Patriots OTAs family Dianna Russini NFL draft New York Post Aaron Rodgers retirement Patriots statement
Voluntary OTAs but somehow still drama lol.
Honestly good for him for choosing family. But the whole Dianna Russini thing is still weird to me. Like how did it even become a headline in the first place.
Wait so he missed the draft because of “family” but then it’s also tied to photos? I don’t even understand, like did he quit the team or something? This just feels like the media made it bigger than it is. Also “I love the boys” is nice but I’m still confused about what actually happened.
This is why I don’t trust anything from NFL beat writers. First it’s quotes about not knowing the 300th player, then suddenly the New York Post is driving the story. Like if Russini resigned then that means it was serious, but then he acts like it’s no big deal. If anything can happen, yeah apparently it did. Patriots fans are gonna argue about it for weeks.