New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has been dominating the headlines this offseason, that's for sure.
On April 7, Page Six shared photos of Vrabel spending time at a hotel with NFL reporter Dianna Russini. TMZ later revealed that Russini and Vrabel's connection dates back to 2021. They reportedly rented a boat in Tennessee while Russini was expecting her first child with her husband.
Vrabel, who has been married to his wife Jen for more than two decades, announced in April that he was going to undergo counseling. He left the Patriots during Day 3 of the NFL Draft in order to work on his personal life.
“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. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said before the NFL Draft. “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."
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Vrabel spoke to the media this Wednesday for the first time since his departure during the NFL Draft. When asked about his work/life balance, he declared his love for his wife.
"Really good," Vrabel replied. "I appreciate my family. I love Jen, I love the boys. I love my personal friends."
It was previously reported by Page Six that Mike and Jen had an “emergency 24-hour marriage summit.” Apparently, that meeting went well.
Patriots players rallying around Vrabel.
Patriots stars Drake Maye and Christian Gonzalez voiced their support for Vrabel earlier this offseason. They're definitely not the only players in the locker room willing to go to bat for their coach.
Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison, who was teammates with Vrabel in New England from 2003-2008, believes the locker room will rally around its head coach.
“The one saving grace, no matter what goes on in your life, has always been an NFL locker room. Those players are going through some of the same things Mike Vrabel is going through with some of the temptations, some of the things that’s out there, things they struggle with. So they have a great deal of empathy. So I think they’ll understand, and they’ll forgive Mike. I think it’ll bring the locker room even closer together,” Harrison told MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “You still might have a few holes. A few who might be skeptical, ‘Well he said this, he said that’ but the majority in that locker room, they love Mike Vrabel and they respect him. They know he’s a human being, he’s a good person and he made a mistake. And, they’re going to forgive him."
The Patriots will begin their 2026 season on Sept. 9 against the Seattle Seahawks.
