The New England Patriots have coach Mike Vrabel’s back after Page Six published more photos of him and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini kissing while at a Tribeca Tavern in March of 2020 when he was coaching for the Tennessee Titans and she was an NFL insider at ESPN.
The team confirmed he will miss Rounds 4-7 of the draft after being in Pittsburgh Thursday and Friday round Rounds 1-3.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the team said in a statement. “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.”
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Vrabel, who has two sons with his wife, Jen, said Wednesday night he will be seeking counseling outside of Massachusetts and spending time with his family, according to ESPN.
He will still be in contact with the Patriots on Saturday for the final day of the draft.
“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 Wednesday. “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.
“I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
New England holds 11 selections in this year’s draft, including the No. 31 pick of the first round. The Patriots have two picks in the fourth round, one in the fifth, four in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Vrabel is scheduled to speak to the media if the Patriots use their No. 31 pick in the first round of the draft.
It comes after The Post published separate images displaying Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, holding hands while at a resort in Arizona earlier this month.
Both downplayed the images in statements, with Vrabel calling them “laughable,” and Russini adding that “the photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.”
Russini resigned from The Athletic a few days later amid an internal investigation by the New York Times, which owns the sports outlet.
Vrabel addressed the situation for the first time on Tuesday, telling reporters it’s a “personal and private matter” and that he’s had “difficult conversations with people I care about.”
He described the conversations as “positive and productive.”
Vrabel also said he addressed the situation in-house with his players, but made no mention of Russini.
The NFL said last weekend that it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior, and he was not disciplined by the Patriots organization.
The 2020 images of Vrabel and Russini show the pair sitting closely on barstools in a dimly-lit tavern in the early hours of the morning on March 11.
“They were kissing and they were all over each other,” an eyewitness told Page Six. “He had a ring on.”
The photos were taken six months before Russini married her now-husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt. They have two young sons together.
