The Patriots have finally encountered a scandal they can’t control. For two decades, Bill Belichick stonewalled the press and the team’s allies on the airwaves created enough doubt and clouded the narrative. There was never any hard evidence of malfeasance, and besides, Tom Brady won every big game imaginable.
Though the Patriots are back in Super Bowl contention, they no longer carry an indefatigable air. The Mike Vrabel story has spiraled out of control, with new sets of damning photos released Thursday. The dumps arrived in the wake of a late-night statement, issued Thursday at 12:10 a.m. In it, Vrabel, who initially dismissed the brouhaha around him and Dianna Russini as “completely laughable,” presented a more somber tone.
He said he’s going to seek counseling this weekend and will be away from the team for the third day of the NFL Draft. The statement was released by ESPN’s Mike Reiss, a long-time and well-respected beat reporter.
But this story, for Vrabel and the Patriots, has stretched well beyond the realm of respected NFL reporters. It’s apparent that somebody, or some people, are after Vrabel and Russini, who resigned from The Athletic and fiercely denied the accusations.
Two weeks after the first set of pics were released, Page Six has more evidence of canoodling. On Thursday, they published photos that appear to show Vrabel and Russini kissing at a dimly lit bar in Tribeca, New York. The shots were taken in March 2020.
“They were kissing and they were all over each other,” said an eyewitness who was at the bar… six years ago.
On Thursday afternoon, TMZ published a picture of Vrabel and Russini smiling together at a Vegas casino in 2024. Vrabel had just been fired by the Titans, and Russini was reporting on the story. She co-authored the formative exposé on his departure, which portrayed Vrabel in a favorable light.
A witness told TMZ that they thought Vrabel and Russini were married, “based on their body language.”
According to Page Six, Vrabel and Russini were contacted on Wednesday afternoon about the resurfaced pictures. Hours later, Vrabel announced he was attending weekend counseling.
His announcement followed a shotgun presser on Tuesday morning. Vrabel referenced “difficult conversations” he had with his family, but didn’t offer specifics. He declined a follow-up.
Before the NFL Draft on Thursday, Vrabel issued another perfunctory statement. He didn’t take questions.
In the past, the Patriots could’ve pointed to a pedantic, yet convincing loophole. But this time around, there’s no Ideal Gas Law to save them. Worst of all, there’s no Belichick to grumble for them, or Brady to win for them. At this point, it appears the only way out is true accountability.
That doesn’t look like releasing a canned statement in the wee hours of the morning and stepping away from the least important day of the NFL Draft. The story is spiraling out of control, and the old tricks of control aren’t working. We’re already pretty sure that Dianna Russini’s reporting career can’t come back from this.
Could Mike Vrabel’s coaching career be the next casualty?
Kraft Inc.
In Dallas, Jerry Jones has “Jerry’s World.” In New England, Robert Kraft and his family have Kraft Inc. Formally, the Kraft Group runs their own sports and entertainment company and a licensing firm, known as “Kraft Dynasty LLC.” The NFL-obsessed public became exposed to “Kraft Dynasty LLC” when the Apple+ docuseries about the Patriots Dynasty was released. The company was credited at the end of each episode, suggesting an editorial tilt.
Informally, however, the Kraft media empire extends well beyond its official properties. They have lucrative partnerships with both Boston sports radio stations and wield an iron fist. Infamously, Robert Kraft once banned Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy from a team breakfast because he objected to his columns.
Through their Super Bowl run, the Patriots overtook New England. Their success made the careers of columnists, talking heads, beat reporters, and broadcasters alike. Ex-Patriots players are everywhere, defending the team on every platform.
Last week, “The Sports Hub” host and Patriots radio analyst Scott Zolak was honest about his feelings on the story. The former player said he doesn’t want to talk about it and risk damaging his access. “Mike and I have a good back-and-forth working relationship,” he said. “I know the people involved. And I’m in no position to comment on anything that happened between these two. It does me no good.”
The Patriots’ power also shows up on WEEI, which hosts weekly interviews with Vrabel and high-profile players. Vrabel appears on “The Greg Hill Show” every week. When the story first broke, the hosts laughed it off.
“It’s not like anything,” said former Patriots tight end Jermaine Wiggins. “But you know how people think in 2026. They see a married man, holding a married woman’s hand…”
Like other powerful sports franchises, the Patriots have a grip on their home city. They also hold great influence with national rights holders.
But they hold no influence with scorned exes, private investigators, or whoever is behind this.
Patriots showing no sway
There was a report earlier in the week by In Touch that the Patriots tried to stop the New York Post from publishing the initial story. While that anecdote has not been confirmed, it’s apparent the Krafts don’t hold sway with the Murdochs–or gossip reporters. The Page Six exclusive is harsh: it features several intimate photos of Vrabel and Russini and has an eye-witness account.
It seems that the purveyor of the photos wasn’t satisfied with the pair’s initial dismissal of their story.
ESPN, a multibillion-dollar rights holder and league equity partner, has covered the fallout. Last Friday, Ben Strauss reported that Russini couldn’t produce evidence that supported her original assertion about taking a girls’ trip out to Arizona.
On First Take Thursday, Stephen A. Smith was harsh in his criticism of Vrabel. “He would have been better served shutting the hell up,” he said.
The TMZ photos indicate there is a coordinated campaign against Vrabel and/or Russini. Remember: TMZ reportedly passed on the first set of pictures. But now, the most notorious tabloid of all is in the game.
Playing damage control
Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots are playing damage control. PR pros have excoriated their approach.
In their own statement, the Patriots say Vrabel is steadfast in his “commitment to being the best version of himself.” But apparently, that can wait a few more days. The opening rounds of the NFL Draft are too important.
Vrabel has no obligation to disclose intimate details about his personal life to the public. This story is slimy, tawdry, and vindictive. But now, it’s ballooned into a national scandal. Officially, it has crossed over into the first hour of The Today Show.
With hurried pressers and late-night statements, the Patriots aren’t getting ahead of the story. It’s apparent that Vrabel’s original denial was a lie, too. People don’t typically seek counseling over “laughable” matters.
After being on top for 25 years, the Patriots have an outdated approach to media relations. Stories can’t be buried with lawyerly statements and early morning announcements. They also can no longer be buried with Super Bowl rings.
Mike Vrabel and the team should’ve been more truthful up front. A sidebar story about an NFL coach possibly cavorting with a female NFL insider has turned into a national fixation. Clearly, the wrong approach was taken.
The fallout will end one day. And for Vrabel, that may mean his job, too.
About Alex Reimer