New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel returned to the team April 27 after missing the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to ESPN. Vrabel was not in the Patriots' building Saturday, April 25, for Rounds 4-7 of the draft, which included six Patriots selections, to "begin to seek counseling" and be with his family.
Vrabel and former NFL reporter Dianna Rusinni – who has since resigned from The Athletic where she was the outlet's NFL insider – were photographed together at an exclusive Arizona resort ahead of the annual league meetings in late March. The New York Post published photos of the two interlocking hands and hugging, and the outlet later released what appeared to be more photos of the two – these from a New York bar and dating back to March 2020 – on April 24, the day the draft began.
USA TODAY Sports reached out to the Patriots for confirmation that Vrabel had returned.
Vrabel addressed reporters for the second time in three days April 24, after the additional photos came out.
"My priorities are my family and this football team – in that order. And there is a balance there that I am going to create," Vrabel said. "My family needs me this weekend, and that's where I'll be."
Jarrett Bell: Still laughing, Mike Vrabel? Patriots coach torches credibility as scandal grows | Opinion
The 2025 Coach of the Year had previously told ESPN that he was going to "begin to seek counseling" and be with his family. Vrabel was with the team for the first two days of the draft but missed the third.
Vrabel coached the Titans for six seasons before being fired after the 2023 campaign. The Patriots hired him in 2025 and the former New England linebacker led the team to a 14-3 record and AFC title.
Vrabel claimed that the initial photos were innocent and called their nefarious insinuation "laughable," in a statement to The Post when they were published.
On April 21, two weeks after the New York Post published the photos, Vrabel made his first public statement in front of cameras
"I've had some difficult conversations with people I care about about − with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players," Vrabel said.
More: Vrabel-Russini timeline: From "innocent interaction" to "difficult conversations"
"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 negatively affect the team. You never want to be the cause of a distraction.
"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."
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
1 / 18See Mike Vrabel’s journey from Patriots standout to NFL head coachMike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Mike Vrabel’s career has taken him from standout player to head coach, with stops across multiple eras of the NFL.See the moments that chart Vrabel’s path through the years and onto the sidelines.Above, Mike Vrabel speaks as he is introduced as head coach of the New England Patriots during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vrabel back with Patriots after NFL draft absence, Russini photos: report