MIKE VRABEL ADDRESSED ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WITH PLAYERS AFTER DIANNA ROSSSINI SCANDAL

Mike Vrabel reportedly did a 'great job' addressing the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini, according to New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry

Mike Vrabel addressed the New England Patriots locker room following the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini(Image: Getty Images)

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry believes Mike Vrabel did "a great job" addressing their locker room following the drama surrounding himself and Dianna Russini. 

Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, have been the talk of the NFL offseason after the pair were spotted together at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Arizona, earlier this month. Since those photos leaked, more have emerged of them together, the earliest dating back to 2020 in a New York bar, where they were pictured kissing.

The fallout of the initial photos saw Russini resign from her job with the Athletic, something for which Vrabel reportedly feels remorseful. Meanwhile, Vrabel said last week he was entering counseling after bizarrely giving two press conferences on the same day ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The first of the two press conferences Vrabel held ahead of the NFL Draft was intended to prevent Patriots players from being asked about the drama surrounding him and Russini before he could address it publicly.

During the press conference, Vrabel admitted he did not meet the standard he holds himself to. "My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don’t,” said Vrabel.

"And what I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team, is for us to take the necessary steps to work together, and to give them what I told them I’d give them, which is the best version of me. That’s what we’re going to do."

While he was away from the team on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, he returned to work Monday for OTAs.

According to Patriots star Henry, Vrabel did "a great job" of addressing the elephant in the room when he spoke to his players amid the offseason drama.

"I thought he did a great job," said Henry of Vrabel, talking to his team. "It's been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy into the room, so yeah, obviously he addressed it, and that's kind of all I'll say about it.

The NFL offseason has been dominated by the scandal involving Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel(Image: YouTube (@TAScoopCity))

He added of the potential for offseason distractions in the wake of the Vrabel-Russini drama, "I think everybody is focused on ... the task we have at hand right now. Right now, that's working out, coming together as a team. Focussed on the meetings, trying to get better, learn from what we did last year and try to improve on some of the things we did not do well."

Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane, who was a team captain last season, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on the situation surrounding Vrabel.

"Coach coaches football and he keeps the main thing, the main thing," Spillane said. "I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football.

Spillane added, "I love coach and I'm going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I'm just a player and I'm trying to do that the best I can."

- Oscar Maung-Haley