Mike Vrabel Reportedly Returns to Patriots Following Counseling Hiatus

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has reportedly returned to the team after a brief absence for counseling.

Last week, Vrabel announced he would miss day three of the 2026 NFL Draft (on Saturday) to attend counseling amid the Dianna Russini controversy.

According to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston, Vrabel was back in his office on Monday. ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed Perry's report.

After missing Day 3 of the NFL draft to be with his family, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is back at work with the team today. pic.twitter.com/y1zhwJvHpR

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 27, 2026

On Apr. 7, photos surfaced of Vrabel and Russini (then an NFL reporter for The Athletic) hanging out at the adults-only Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The pictures, taken on March 28, showed the two hugging, holding hands and relaxing at a swimming pool.

The saga took another twist when Page Sixpublished photos of the two kissing at a New York City bar on March 11, 2020, while Vrabel was coaching the Tennessee Titans. Russini resigned from The Athletic and has since deactivated her X/Twitter account.

Russini has been married to her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, since 2020. Vrabel and his wife, Jen, got married in 1999, while he was playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both couples have two sons.

Mike Vrabel Prepares for Second Season as Patriots' Head Coach

After firing Jerod Mayo, the Patriots hired Vrabel to take over as their new head coach. When Vrabel arrived, New England was coming off a third straight losing and non-playoff season.

But Vrabel quickly turned the Patriots back into an AFC juggernaut, leading them to a 14-3 record to capture their first AFC East division crown since 2019. They made a surprise run to Super Bowl 60, falling 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks.

It was nonetheless a tremendous success in year one of the Vrabel era. With most of the core pieces from 2025 returning, there's no reason to think they won't be in the mix next season.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Sports section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 12:33 PM.