While focus should be on the New England Patriots heading into the 2026 season looking for redemption after a Super Bowl loss, the hot-button topic of head coach Mike Vrabel’s relationship with ex-Athletic reporter Dianna Russini was prevalent Tuesday.
Tight end Hunter Henry is obviously aware of the situation at hand with Vrabel, who spent Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft away from the team to seek counseling amid the Russini controversy.
But Henry and the rest of the Patriots are trying to focus on football as much as possible.
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“Obviously, you know, I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on, but to be honest with you, we’re just focused,” he told reporters on Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports. “I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building with this team.”
Henry, a team captain, added he’s “just focused on the guys in this locker room and trying to build it from the ground up.” In other words, he’s not going to be commenting on his head coach’s off-the-field controversy.
Fellow captain Robert Spillane was also asked about Vrabel’s situation, and he echoed Henry’s sentiment.
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“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing the main thing,” Spillane said, according to MassLive. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues. But when we’re in the building, we speak football.”
While Spillane wasn’t going to comment on others’ relationship with Vrabel, he did note that he would “be here to support him” because he believes his coach would do the same.
Vrabel spoke publicly about the Russini controversy, and he noted during his statement that he spoke with players.
“I thought he did a great job,” Henry said about Vrabel’s handling of the situation when it came out. “It’s been the same Vrabes bringing a lot of energy in the room. So, I mean, obviously, he addressed it. That’s kind of what I’ll say about it.”
The Patriots released a statement before the first round of the draft last Thursday, saying they “fully support” Vrabel.
“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,” the statement said.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process.”
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Vrabel was with the Patriots for the first two nights of the draft, but he stepped away for rounds four through seven to seek 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,” Vrabel said in a statement, according to ESPN.
“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.”
Vrabel also told reporters he’s had “some difficult conversations with people that I care about” regarding him and Russini being photographed together at a Sedona, Arizona, private resort in his first public comments about the controversial relationship.
Since then, photos have surfaced from 2020 showing Vrabel and Russini kissing at a bar in New York City. The pictures exclusively obtained by the New York Post were taken in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
“They were kissing, and they were all over each other,” an eyewitness told the outlet. “He had a ring on.”
Russini reportedly married Kevin Goldschmidt, her husband and a Shake Shack executive, six months after the photos were snapped. Goldschmidt and Russini also share two children.
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999, and they share two sons together. In the pictures, Vrabel’s wedding band is visible on his left hand while conversing with Russini. At the time, Russini was with ESPN, while Vrabel was coaching the Tennessee Titans.
This past month, Vrabel and the former reporter at The Athletic were seen holding hands and hugging at the luxury resort in Arizona. Photos of their intimate interaction were first released in April.
The photos showed the two sunbathing by a pool, in a hot tub and on the roof of a bungalow holding hands and embracing, which caused a league-wide uproar. Russini, the subject of an investigation by her employer, The Athletic, resigned as a result.
Vrabel has since returned to the Patriots as they continue their offseason workout program. The team’s rookie minicamp is also slated for May 8-10.
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