Newly surfaced photos appear to show Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini kissing in a New York City bar back in 2020.
The New York Post’s Page Six published the photos Thursday, one day after the New England Patriots head coach announced that he will miss Day 3 of the NFL draft on Saturday to attend counseling.
The scandal began on April 7 when the Post published photos of Vrabel and Russini, then an NFL reporter for The Athletic, holding hands and hugging at a luxury resort in Sedona, Ariz.
The pictures published Thursday were supposedly taken at the Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020 and appear to show the pair sitting close together at the bar and sharing a kiss. “They were kissing and they were all over each other. He had a ring on,” an eyewitness told Page Six.
At the time of the photos on March 11, 2020 — remembered as the day COVID-19 was officially declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization — Vrabel was coaching the Tennessee Titans and already married to his current wife, while Russini was engaged to her current husband.
Vrabel, 50, gave a statement to the Post for Thursday’s story.
“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,” he said. “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 continued. “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 will be with the Patriots on Thursday night when they make their first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 31 overall, and also when they choose players late in the second and third rounds on Friday. He will be absent for the last four rounds on Saturday.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the Patriots said in a statement on Thursday. “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 (executive vice president of player personnel) Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Russini resigned from The Athletic last week amid an investigation by the New York Times-run organization into the nature of her relationship with Vrabel.
When the Arizona photos initially came out, Vrabel said the pictures “show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
Vrabel became the head coach of the Patriots — one of the teams for which he played — ahead of the 2025 season and guided New England to Super Bowl LX. The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13.
Vrabel earned his second AP NFL Coach of the Year honor last season after winning the award in 2021 when he led the Titans. He was Tennessee’s head coach from 2018-23.
–Field Level Media
