Patriots' Mike Vrabel to Seek Counseling, Will Miss 2026 NFL Draft Day 3

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will not be with the team on Saturday during the third day of the NFL draft, he told ESPN's Mike Reiss on Wednesday.

According to Reiss, Vrabel plans to be with his family outside of Massachusetts over the weekend after photos were published of him and NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an adults-only hotel in Arizona earlier this month.

Vrabel also told Reiss that he plans to seek counseling.

"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. "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."

Vrabel, who was named the NFL's Coach of the Year in 2025, addressed the media on Tuesday for the first time since the photos were published.

"I've had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, my family, the organization, coaches and players," Vrabel told reporters. "Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me, that starts with me. We never want our actions to affect the team. We never want to be the cause of a distraction."

"I care deeply about this football team and I'm excited to coach them," Vrabel added. "I also know that I'm going to attack each day with humility and focus, and what I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans, most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward. That's what I know and I'm excited to do that."

Russini resigned from her role at The Athletic in a letter sent to executive editor Steven Ginsberg, per Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press.

Rounds 4-7 of the NFL draft will take place on Saturday. The Patriots hold eight picks on Saturday, including four in the sixth round.