Rodney Harrison Claims Mike Vrabel Scandal Could Make Patriots 'Closer'
Former New England Patriots star Rodney Harrison has finally offered his thoughts on Mike Vrabel's tricky situation.
Vrabel's future in New England has been a hot topic ever since Page Six shared photos of the Coach of the Year holding hands with reporter Dianna Russini at a hotel in Arizona. Before the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, Vrabel said he'd miss the final few rounds to undergo counseling. He then returned to the facility a few days later.
"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."
Harrison, who was teammates with Vrabel in New England from 2003-2008, believes this situation could actually make the Patriots' locker room stronger than it was before.
"The one saving grace, no matter what goes on in your life, has always been an NFL locker room. Those players are going through some of the same things Mike Vrabel is going through with some of the temptations, some of the things that's out there, things they struggle with. So they have a great deal of empathy. So I think they'll understand, and they'll forgive Mike. I think it'll bring the locker room even closer together," Harrison told MassLive's Karen Guregian.
"You still might have a few holes. A few who might be skeptical, ‘Well he said this, he said that' but the majority in that locker room, they love Mike Vrabel and they respect him. They know he's a human being, he's a good person and he made a mistake. And, they're going to forgive him."
Believe it or not, he might have a point.
Harrison's comments about the Patriots might seem absurd, but Drake Maye has already shown full support for Vrabel.
"We're here for coach, we love coach," Maye told reporters. "We know he's dealing with some stuff off the field and out of the coaching world but we're here for him and I know he's gonna come back."
Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez also said he's riding with his head coach in 2026.
"We ain't gonna speak on what we talked about inside the building," Gonzalez said. "But I mean, that's my coach. That's who I go out there and play for. He's proven to what he can do as a coach. That's my guy, and I ride behind Vrabes any time of the day."
Who knows? Maybe the Patriots will rally around all the negative press.
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This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM.