Mike Vrabel is threatening to upstage the NFL draft.
The Patriots coach spoke to the media just 40 minutes before the start of the draft after he dominated headlines on Thursday after Page Six published new photos of Vrabel and Dianna Russini kissing at Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
He discussed his decision to miss the final day of the draft on Saturday for counseling.
“My family needs me this weekend, and that’s where I’ll be,” Vrabel told reporters.
Vrabel said his intitial comments calling the photos “laughable” were made to “protect his family.”
At the time, Vrabel was coaching for the Titans and was already married to his wife, Jen, with whom he shares two sons. Russini was an NFL insider at ESPN at the time and tied the knot with Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt only six months later.
“They were kissing and they were all over each other,” an eyewitness told Page Six. “He had a ring on.”
It comes on the heels of the two being caught on camera while holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort earlier this month.
© Page Six
On Wednesday, Vrabel said that he would be seeking counseling outside of Massachusetts this weekend and spending time with his family.
Thus, he said he will miss the final day of the draft. The Patriots hold 11 selections overall this year, including the No. 31 pick in the first round.
“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,” Vrabel said Wednesday. “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.
“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.”
Hours before Vrabel’s press conference, the Patriots stated they “fully support” the head coach’s decision to prioritize his family during the scandal.
“Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.”
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
After the scandal took off two weeks ago, both Russini and Vrabel downplayed the situation despite the visuals.
Vrabel said the images were “laughable,” and Russini claimed the photos didn’t show the full picture of “the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.”
Still, Russini eventually resigned from The Athletic in the following days during an internal investigation by the New York Times, which owns the sports publication.
Last week, the NFL announced it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior in the scandal and he is not facing any disciplinary action by the Patriots organization.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
