New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel discussed how he balances professional and personal commitments shortly before controversial pictures emerged of him with NFL insider Dianna Russini.
During a February 25 press conference, Vrabel, 50, was asked about the importance of giving equal time and attention to life outside of football.
“It’s probably gotten better,” he told reporters. “I just want to make sure that our staff has time with their families in the offseason.”
The comments came just over two weeks after the Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.
Dianna Russini Joked About ‘Marriage Falling Apart’ Before Mike Vrabel Pics
“I tell them all the time, if there’s stuff that they need to do in the offseason, now’s the time to do it. Don’t miss something and blame me because that’s not accurate,” Vrabel said. “If they tell their wife or they tell their kid, ‘Hey, I couldn’t come because Coach Vrabel said no.’ That’s a lie. I want them to be able to do those things.”
He continued, “We put a lot of work in. It was a long season, and we were excited to work as long as we did, but you have to be able to get away. You have to be able to spend time with people that care about you.”
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999, and the couple share sons Tyler, 25, and Carter, 24.
The Patriots head coach and The Athletic’s Russini, 43, were seen linking hands, sunbathing by the pool and sharing a hot tub at a resort in Sedona, Arizona, in pictures posted by Page Six on Tuesday, April 7, which the outlet reported were taken two weeks prior.
Russini has been married to her husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, since 2020, and the couple share sons Michael, 4, and Joey, 3.
Shortly after the photos were published, both Vrabel and Russini issued statements to the outlet denying anything romantic between them.
Who Is Dianna Russini? Meet the Reporter Connected to Patriots’ Mike Vrabel
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Russini explained, “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, also defended Russini’s behavior in a statement to Page Six.
“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Ginsberg said. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.”
