New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft as he begins to seek counseling, he revealed on Wednesday, April 22.
Vrabel did not divulge the nature of the assistance he was pursuing. His statement comes one day after he said he had held “difficult conversations” with his family and members of the Patriots organization in the aftermath of photos of him and Dianna Russini, The Athletic’s former NFL insider, first surfacing.
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“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,” Vrabel said, according to ESPN. “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. 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.”
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough #6 of the New Orleans Saints and Chris Olave #12 celebrate a touchdown during the second half against the Carolina Panthers in the game at Bank of America Stadium on November 09, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
New Orleans Saints
Tyler Shough #6 of the New Orleans Saints and Chris Olave #12 celebrate a touchdown during the second half against the Carolina Panthers in the game at Bank of America Stadium on November 09, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin #17 of the Washington Commanders celebrates with Jayden Daniels #5 after catching a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Ford Field on January 18, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
New York Giants
Jaxson Dart #6 and Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants celebrate after Skattebo carried the ball into the endzone for a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on October 09, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Tennessee Titans
Head coach Brian Callahan talks with Cam Ward of the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter of a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 05, 2025, in Glendale, Arizona.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Cleveland Browns
Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns reacts to a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 23, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott #4 and CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrate after their touchdown connection against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on November 27, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Las Vegas Raiders
Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates after a missed field goal during the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 07, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Miami Dolphins
De’Von Achane #28 of the Miami Dolphins rushes for yards against Brandin Echols #26 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter of the game at Acrisure Stadium on December 15, 2025, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid interact against the New York Giants during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on September 21, 2025, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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The 10 NFL teams with the most at stake in the 2026 draft
New York Jets
Head coach Aaron Glenn of the New York Jets looks on during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between New York Jets and Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on August 09, 2025, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In his first public remarks to the media, Vrabel did not answer questions about Russini, with whom he was photographed on a rooftop at the Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona, ahead of the NFL’s annual league meeting in Phoenix. The New York Post on April 7 published pictures of Vrabel and Russini, who are both married to other people, hugging and lounging poolside in bathing suits.
Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14, maintaining that “I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.” The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times, planned to continue its standards review of Russini’s work even after her departure.
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Vrabel, whose voice carries significant sway in the Patriots’ personnel matters, will miss the final four rounds of the draft on Saturday, during which New England is set to make eight of its 11 picks. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden will continue to shape the team’s draft strategy in Vrabel’s absence.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Vrabel to seek counseling, miss Day 3 of 2026 NFL Draft
