Scandal Involving Reporter Will Force Patriots Coach to Miss Day 3 of the Draft

The New England Patriots have returned to gridiron glory, but off-field controversy hasn’t stayed away.

First, two players were mired in legal trouble during the 2025 season when the team reached the Super Bowl after a three-year postseason hiatus. Now, it’s the Patriots head coach, Mike Vrabel, front and center in a media firestorm over an off-field scandal involving reporter Dianna Russini, formerly with The Athletic.

Multiple media outlets reported the extramarital behavior between Vrabel and Russini, which led to the reporter resigning from The Athletic. Vrabel will miss the third day of the NFL draft this weekend to seek counseling in light of his actions.

“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the Patriots’ statement read. “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,” the statement continued. “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.”

New England has 11 draft picks, and six of those will fall on Saturday with Rounds 5–7. Vrabel will be trying to make things right with his family.

“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 told ESPN’s Mike Reiss on 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,” Vrabel added. “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.”

Vrabel, 50, has been married to his wife, Jennifer, since 1999, after they met at Ohio State where they both played sports for the Buckeyes. They have two children, sons Tyler and Carter.

Russini, 43, is married to Kevin Goldschmidt, an executive with Shake Shack. The two wed in 2020, and they have two children, sons Michael and Joseph.

Russini had been with The Athletic since 2023 and previously with ESPN from 2015 to 2023. She hasn’t made any public statements about her extramarital actions other than sharing her resignation letter via X.

“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published. When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism,” Russini wrote on April 14. “For that I am grateful.

“In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts. Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,” she added. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.”

She added that she disagrees with “the narrative that has been constructed around this episode” and that she will “refuse to lend it further oxygen or let it define” herself.