Mike Vrabel skipping Day 3 of NFL Draft to seek counseling after Dianna Russini photos

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft and plans to seek counseling amid the Dianni Russini scandal, according to a statement acquired by ESPN . He reportedly plans to be with his family this weekend, outside of Massachusetts. The statement: "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 Wednesday night. "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. " The news comes a day after Vrabel addressed the matter with reporters for the first time .

The coach mentioned having “difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players” and requested privacy as the aftermath played out. Vrabel and Russini, then an NFL reporter at The Athletic, were plunged into scandal earlier this month when Page Six published photos of the pair, who are married to other people with children, hugging and holding hands at an adults-only resort in Arizona. Both parties immediately denied any wrongdoing, with Vrabel calling the interaction “completely innocent,” and insisted they were both there with friends despite the photos appearing to show them alone.