The drama that shadowed coach Mike Vrabel during the offseason due to his relationship with NFL reporter Dianna Russini was nowhere to be seen Friday when New England Patriots players reported for training camp.
Vrabel must feel he’s not only survived but surmounted the ongoing nature of the saga because, well, the thing is not a public topic now as his team gets ready for its first practice on Saturday.
Vrabel, in his second year as the Patriots coach, met with reporters for more than 14 minutes on Friday to kick off the start of camp.
And he fielded not one question about the Russini scandal or anything connected to it.
It was all football – which Vrabel deftly handles like Ted Williams did fastballs back in the day.
Vrabel was asked about the status of second-round draft pick Gabe Jacas, who remains unsigned. Reporters indeed concentrated six of their 20 or so questions to Vrabel on the Jacas topic.
How’s the contract negotiations?
How’s his health?
Football stuff.
But, again, nothing about the coach and the overriding issue he faced starting April 7 when the New York Post published photographs of him and Russini, then working for The Athletic, enjoying private time at a pool, and in a hot tub, and holding hands and embracing at an Arizona resort before the NFL annual meeting.
Those photos kicked off consistent national coverage that sometimes bordered on cringey – including other photos of the pair at a bar or other events while their spouses were not present. They also predictably led to something of a crisis within the Vrabel family.
Vrabel, in fact, removed himself from the final day of the NFL draft so that he could be with his family and said he was taking time to seek counseling.
But on Friday, nobody asked if the counseling sessions are over or continue.
One would think that if a Super Bowl contender’s coach is in counseling, which he made public, someone might wonder if the sessions continue during a hectic training camp.
Or possibly bleed into the season.
Somebody might want to know if Vrabel thinks the counseling succeeded. Or failed. Like, what has changed for Vrabel as a result of those sessions he so publicly announced he was about to undergo?
There was no question to Vrabel at the podium about any of that or anything else having to do with the Russini saga.
We already know Vrabel isn’t going to be fired, or even disciplined, for being part of the embarrassment and unwanted attention he brought on himself, the Patriots, and the NFL as a result of this story.
But Friday’s presser sealed the fact Vrabel has successfully avoided a major distraction to start training camp.
That actually is his first victory of the season.
Russini, meanwhile, has clearly lost. She resigned from her job at The Athletic and the media company has apparently replaced her with a new so-called insider. She remains at the heart of an internal investigation by the New York Times, which owns The Athletic, with the results of that not yet published.
So barring more facts coming to light, such as the publication of the investigation, Vrabel skates. If he didn’t get asked about his counseling sessions and family status on Friday, the chances that happens going forward shrink daily.
So, yes, Vrabel is 1-0 already to kick off training camp.
