Poll: How Will Mike Vrabel Controversy Affect Patriots?
[Editor's note: Welcome to Athlon Sports' poll of the day, where we ask readers to weigh in on the biggest topic of the day. Thanks for voting, and be sure to sound off in the comment section.]
Fair or not, the controversy surrounding an alleged relationship between New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini is not going away any time soon. On Monday night, "Inside the NBA" included the pair in their "Gone Fishing" graphic to highlight the Boston Celtics being eliminated from the NBA playoffs.
ESPN's Inside the NBA featured the Boston Celtics in their "Gone Fishing" segment.
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) May 4, 2026
Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were in the boat:pic.twitter.com/XsHABh3d5T
With all the attention this story has delivered, Vrabel no doubt is looking forward to getting back to the business of coaching his team. That will start this weekend with a rookie minicamp, followed later in the month with OTAs. And while the media will be curious to see if the Patriots can repeat their 2025 success and get back to the Super Bowl, you know the questions about Vrabel and Russini will continue. Will that be a factor when the season begins?
Thanks for voting. Be sure to make your voice heard and sound off in the comments section.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 4:30 AM.