ESPN dropped a head-scratcher of an update on New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel during Day 3 of the NFL Draft, and fans are having a field day with it.
Vrabel has been away from the team since controversial photos surfaced of him hugging and holding hands with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at a hotel in Arizona. The Patriots confirmed earlier this week that he'd miss the final day of the draft to focus on personal matters.
According to ESPN's Peter Schrager, the Patriots are staying in touch with their embattled coach. “I’ve been told from Patriots sources that they’re in constant contact throughout the day,” Schrager said during Saturday's draft coverage. “Obviously, this is a very unique situation.”
The update left many wondering: if Vrabel is truly committed to counseling and family, why is he getting draft updates mid-session? Social media erupted with sarcastic takes.
“All good family counseling days require ‘constant contact’ with your employer during them,” quipped Matt Jones of Kentucky Sports Radio. Todd Fuhrman added, “Track my iPhone might be much easier than constant contact.” Another fan sarcastically replied, “Good thing he’s focusing on his counseling.”
The drama began when Page Six published photos from March 2020 showing Vrabel and Russini getting cozy at a New York City bar. Vrabel later released a 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. 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.”
But the story doesn't end there. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer told 98.5 The Sports Hub that Vrabel's leadership has taken a hit. “I can just tell you factually he has not been the same the last two weeks in that building. The sense I’ve gotten talking to people is that bravado and everything else, I think this has taken a chunk out of that,” Breer said. “I really like Mike personally – I’ve covered him for a long time. I think deep down he’s a good guy with a good heart. I would say it’s like what you don’t want is that version of Mike Vrabel walking around for the next six weeks until summer. You want to find a way to get the full Mike Vrabel back.”
Vrabel led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance in his first season, but this controversy threatens to overshadow that success. Meanwhile, the draft continued with other storylines—like Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss being labeled the biggest draft loser and Jermod McCoy's heartbreaking fall from first-round prospect.
As the NFL world watches, the big question remains: can Vrabel bounce back from this and reclaim his edge before training camp? Only time—and maybe a few more awkward draft updates—will tell.
