ESPN Shares Bizarre Mike Vrabel Update During NFL Draft
Unsurprisingly, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was mentioned during ESPN's coverage of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Vrabel has been under heavy fire ever since Page Six shared photos of him hugging and holding hands with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at a hotel in Arizona.
The Patriots confirmed earlier this week that Vrabel would miss Day 3 of the draft. This decision was made after Page Six published photos from March 2020 that show Russini and Vrabel getting awfully close at a bar in New York City.
"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. 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," Vrabel said, via ESPN. "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."
During this Saturday's coverage of the NFL Draft, ESPN's Peter Schrager said the Patriots are in "constant contact" with Vrabel.
"I've been told from Patriots sources that they're in constant contact throughout the day," Schrager said. "Obviously, this is a very unique situation."
NFL fans are a bit confused by this update on Vrabel. If he's truly committed to doing whatever his family needs, why would he be getting draft updates during counseling?
"All good family counseling days require "constant contact" with your employer during them," Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio sarcastically said.
"Track my iPhone might be much easier than constant contact," Todd Fuhrman wrote on X.
"Good thing he's focusing on his counseling," another fan sarcastically replied.
Mike Vrabel may have lost his edge.
While on 98.5 The Sports Hub this Friday, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer said there's some concern that Vrabel may have lost his edge over the past two weeks.
"I can just tell you factually he has not been the same the last two weeks in that building. The sense I've gotten talking to people is that bravado and everything else, I think this has taken a chunk out of that," Breer said. "I really like Mike personally – I've covered him for a long time. I think deep down he's a good guy with a good heart. I would say it's like what you don't want is that version of Mike Vrabel walking around for the next six weeks until summer. You want to find a way to get the full Mike Vrabel back."
Vrabel had an outstanding Year 1 in New England, leading the franchise to a 14-3 record and Super Bowl appearance. It'll be interesting to see how he performs this fall amid all the controversy.
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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 2:12 PM.