Vrabel addressed the media for the first time since announcing he was seeking counseling during the NFL Draft last month
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NEED TO KNOW
- Mike Vrabel spoke about his wife Jen during a Patriots press conference on Wednesday, May 27
- Vrabel said he loves his wife and their sons while speaking to reporters about balancing football and family amid his photo scandal with Dianna Russini
- Vrabel said he and the Patriots are “focused on” preparing for the upcoming NFL season
Mike Vrabel is expressing his love for wife Jennifer and their kids amid his ongoing scandal with reporter Dianna Russini.
One month after the New England Patriots head coach, 50, stepped away from the team to seek counseling, Vrabel addressed the media and made rare comments about his personal life on Wednesday, May 27.
When asked by reporters how he's feeling currently about "the balance of family and football" as he prepares for the upcoming NFL season, Vrabel said, "Really good."
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"I appreciate — my family is great. I love Jen, I love the boys, I love, you know, my personal friends and you know, this spring is focused on really the coaching staff, the players," Vrabel continued, before changing the subject to locker room communication and spring training goals.
When asked if he foresees needing to step away from the team again this season, Vrabel said he can only "focus on today" and added, "I mean, anything can happen."
Vrabel and Russini's photo scandal began when photos published by Page Six on April 7 showed the Patriots coach and former NFL reporter holding hands, hugging and lounging poolside at the boutique Ambiente Sedona resort.
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The pair initially denied that the photos indicated anything more than a professional relationship, but days later, Russini resigned from The Athletic. Since then, more photos of the pair from over the years have surfaced online, including an image of Russini and Vrabel kissing at a bar in 2020 and video of them renting a boat in 2021, when the NFL insider was 7 months pregnant with her first son, Michael Andrew, whom she shares with husband Kevin Goldschmidt.
On April 21, Vrabel admitted to having "difficult conversations" with his family and the Patriots organization during a press conference, amid the influx of photos.
"Thank you for your patience that you’ve shown in a personal and private matter for me and obviously everybody involved. I know that that's not easy for you and I respect that and I appreciate that," he told reporters.
"I understand I could’ve addressed you guys sooner, but it was important to me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday, very candidly," Vrabel continued. "I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about. My family, this football team, the organization and the fans."
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