NFL: Two days later, Mike Vrabel back with Patriots

Mike Vrabel rejoined the New England Patriots on Monday, two days after taking a voluntary leave to seek counseling following a controversy surrounding his visit to an Arizona resort with then-Athletic reporter Dianna Russini.

On Saturday, Vrabel was spotted at a boutique in a Salt Lake City airport while Rounds 4-7 of the NFL draft took place. Despite his brief absence, ESPN reported that Vrabel remained in "constant contact via email and text message" with the Patriots, who confirmed his return on Monday to resume full responsibilities as head coach.

The Patriots clarified that they were not in contact with Vrabel during his leave. The only communications between the team and Vrabel were brief messages sent by team employees, according to vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf.

"We talked through things and decided that the time away needed to be real time away," Wolf said. "So, we were not in contact with Mike on Saturday other than some texts like, ‘Hope everything’s going OK.'"

The 50-year-old coach expressed that family counseling was necessary for him to move forward after the public revelation of his alleged tryst with Russini. "This is what I have to do to be the best husband, father, and coach that I possibly can be," Vrabel said. "This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but I know it will make me a better person."

Vrabel and Russini are both married. The New York Post published photos of them together in Sedona, Arizona, ahead of league meetings in Phoenix last month. Following the incident, Russini resigned from her position as lead NFL insider at The Athletic, which was undergoing an investigation into the nature of her relationship with Vrabel.

Vrabel addressed the situation openly last Tuesday, while NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated during the draft that the league would not consider punishment or further investigation under the "off-field conduct" policy.

Vrabel became the Patriots' head coach ahead of the 2025 season, the team he once played for. He led New England to Super Bowl LX, where they were defeated by the Seattle Seahawks, 29-13.

The coach earned his second AP NFL Coach of the Year honor last season after winning the award in 2021 when he led the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel was the Titans’ head coach from 2018-2023.

—Field Level Media/Reuters