Like it or not, the soap opera regarding journalist Dianna Russini’s involvement with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is ongoing. Just last week, the New York Timespublished its investigation into Russini’s actions when she was working for The Athletic (which is owned by the Times). While the news is not good for Russini, at least one NFL scout is confident that nothing about this story will distract from the Patriots’ focus on defending their AFC title.
The story has been somewhat of a distraction for Vrabel during the offseason. After Vrabel and Russini — both of whom are married — denied any romantic relationship, Vrabel announced on April 22 that he would not be with the team for the second and third days of the NFL Draft because he would be attending counseling with his family.
Vrabel, entering his second season as the Patriots head coach after winning the AFC East last year and taking the team to the Super Bowl, has repeatedly told media that he’s no longer talking about the story and he’s focused on football. New England’s players have said the same thing, and one rival NFL scout told Athlon Sports that he believes the team is fully behind its coach.
“From what I’ve heard, the locker room has Mike Vrabel’s back,” said the anonymous scout. His comments appear in the Athlon Sports 2026 NFL Preview magazine, which is available online and at newsstands nationwide.
“The scandal wasn’t a good look, obviously, and raises serious questions about his poor judgment and blurs the lines about journalistic integrity,” the scout continued. “The bottom line, though, is that he’s a strong leader. Winning matters the most, not morals, and the league isn’t planning to punish Vrabes. If they’re off to a good start, this story eventually fades.”
Then again, getting off to a good start will not be easy for the Patriots. Yes, they return the heart of a team that went 14-3 last season. Quarterback Drake Maye blossomed into a serious MVP candidate in his second season, and New England got him a shiny new toy with the June 1 trade for veteran receiver A.J. Brown. The defense, meanwhile, finished fourth in scoring defense and eighth in total defense, allowing 18.8 points and 295.2 yards per game.
But that was accomplished against an easier schedule than the one they face in 2026 — and the first four weeks of the season will not be a picnic.
The Patriots open the season on Wednesday, Sept. 9 in a road game against the Seattle Seahawks, the team that destroyed them in Super Bowl LX. That game is followed by three more meetings with teams that were in the playoffs last season — home vs. Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by back-to-back road games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills.
Bottom line: Even if the Vrabel-Russini controversy is in the rearview mirror, Vrabel and his team will need to be fully focused on football if they are to avoid a rough start.
