Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel Says Photos With Dianna Russini Led To 'difficult Conversations' With Family, Team

Mike Vrabel doesn’t want to beryllium a distraction.

The New England Patriots coach knows that overmuch of nan chatter astir his squad successful caller weeks has thing to do pinch nan reigning AFC champions’ offseason workouts aliases their plans for nan NFL draft later this week.

Instead, it’s been astir a “personal and backstage matter” that Vrabel decided to reside astatine nan apical of his news convention Tuesday successful Foxborough, Mass. Although he didn’t specify, nan second-year Patriots coach seemed to beryllium referring to photos precocious published by nan New York Post’s Page Six of him and Dianna Russini, who was astatine nan clip a newsman for nan Athletic, interacting astatine an Arizona resort.

The photos look to show Russini and Vrabel — some joined to different group — holding hands, hugging and sitting successful a basking tub and a swimming pool. In nan April 7 article that accompanied nan photos, Russini and Vrabel gave statements denying that thing inappropriate was happening betwixt them.

In his first nationalist comments since nan article was published, Vrabel did not mention Russini aliases nan photos. Instead, Vrabel said astir really he has handled nan business and what his family, nan squad and nan instrumentality guidelines tin expect from him “going forward.”

“I’ve had immoderate difficult conversations pinch group that I attraction astir — my family, nan organization, nan coaches, nan players,” Vrabel said. “Those person been affirmative and productive. We judge successful bid to beryllium successful connected and disconnected nan field, you person to make bully decisions. That includes me; that starts pinch me.

“We ne'er want our actions to negatively impact nan team. We ne'er want to beryllium nan origin of nan distraction. These are comments and questions that I’ve answered for nan squad and pinch nan team. We’ll support those backstage and to ourselves.

“I attraction profoundly astir this shot squad and americium excited to coach it. I besides cognize that I’m going to onslaught each time pinch humility and focus. And what I tin committedness you is that my family, this organization, nan team, nan staff, nan coaches, everybody, our fans, astir importantly, will get nan champion type of maine going forward.”

A Patriots spokesperson said squad officials person nary plans to reside nan rumor further. The NFL has indicated it is not investigating nan matter.

In nan Page Six article, Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg expressed afloat support for Russini and said nan photos “are misleading and deficiency basal context.” Days later, however, nan New York Times, proprietor of nan Athletic, reported that nan integer sports outlet would behaviour an investigation.

On April 14, Russini submitted her missive of resignation to nan Athletic, past posted it connected X. In it, Russini states she has “no liking successful submitting to a nationalist enquiry that has already caused acold much harm than I americium consenting to accept.”

“This media frenzy is hurtling guardant without respect for nan reappraisal process The Athletic is trying to complete,” Russini wrote. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks. ... Rather than allowing this to continue, I person decided to measurement speech now — earlier my existent statement expires connected June 30. I do truthful not because I judge nan communicative that has been constructed astir this episode, but because I garbage to lend it further oxygen aliases to fto it specify maine aliases my career.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.