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

MIKE VRABEL MAKES NFL DRAFT DECISION AFTER PATRIOTS PROMISE AMID DIANNA ROSSINI SCANDAL

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has confirmed he will be missing the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft to enter counseling amidst the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini

Mike Vrabel recently addressed reporters following the scandal involving himself and Dianna Russini(Image: Getty Images)

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will not be with the team on the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft, after he confirmed he would begin counseling this weekend.

While the 2026 draft is set to begin on Thursday night, the NFL headlines continue to be dominated by the fallout of the scandal involving Vrabel and former Athletic insider Dianna Russini after the pair were pictured together at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Arizona.

Both Vrabel and Russini, who resigned from her role with the Athletic, denied any wrongdoing. However, new photos of the pair dining together have since emerged, contradicting their initial denials. Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Vrabel met with media to speak with reporters, admitting he had held some "difficult conversations."

Heading into the draft in Pittsburgh, Vrabel has also confirmed he will not be with the Patriots on Saturday, the third and final day, after he said he would be entering counseling this weekend.

"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.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was seen with a top NFL reporter(Image: Getty)

"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."

Vrabel also confirmed that he had spoken to Patriots players earlier this week after they arrived for the start of New England's offseason program.

Two players had been scheduled to speak to reporters on Tuesday, but Vrabel said he wanted to speak to the media first.

"We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me," said Vrabel. "That starts with me."

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was seen with a top NFL reporter(Image: Getty)

The Patriots head coach also stressed that he wanted to speak to reporters to address the situation surrounding himself and Russini, adding that he did not want to take attention away from the NFL Draft.

And he also added that he needed to enter counseling to become "a better person".

"I have always wanted to lead by example and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father, and coach that I possibly can be," continued Vrabel.

"This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result."

- Oscar Maung-Haley

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | SUPER BOWL LIX HIGHLIGHTS

 

PATRIOTS OWNER ROBERT KRAFTS REPORTEDLY GETS VERDICT ON HALL OF FAME

The New England Patriots are 0 for 2 in Hall of Fame entries for the 2026 class.

About a week after news leaked of legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s Hall of Fame snubbing, The Athletic reported Tuesday that Patriots owner Robert Kraft would not be a part of the class of 2026 either.

Kraft has owned the Patriots since 1994 and has overseen a record-setting 11 AFC championships, including their most recent this season. Kraft’s six Super Bowl rings are the most of any individual owner.

The Pats can surpass the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl wins by a single franchise with a win over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The full list of 2026 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced at NFL Honors on Thursday.

Robert Kraft Was Denied Entry Into The Pro Football Hall of Fame

The case could be made Kraft is the second-most influential owner over his tenure, behind only Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys.

Aside from the unprecedented success overseeing two modern-day Patriots dynasties — and counting — Kraft built the Patriots’ new home Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which opened in 2002. He has also been influential in helping the NFL’s growth by advising commissioner Roger Goodell through media-rights negotiations.

Yet, all that could not land the 84-year-old a bust at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on the first ballot. So even though he was a finalist for Hall of Fame induction, like his coach-turned-nemesis Belichick and Super Bowl adversary Eli Manning, Kraft will not get a gold jacket in 2026.

Entry Into The Hall of Fame Was Made More Difficult This Year

It used to be that the NFL would induct five-to-seven honorees annually to Canton. Yet, apparently those days are over.

According to The Athletic’s Chad Graff, the induction process was made more difficult for the class of 2026.

“The Pro Football Hall of Fame changed its rules this year, which made it more difficult for candidates to be enshrined,” Graff reported. “There are 50 Hall of Fame voters, each of whom casts three votes among the five candidates; a candidate must receive at least 40 votes to gain entry.”

The 80% majority is now even more stringent than the 75% required of Baseball Hall of Fame, though it is hard to imagine 11 high-profile football watchers who could reasonably deny Kraft or Belichick entry based on their resumes.

Instead, as ESPN reported, Kraft and Belichick being denied on their first year on the ballot likely is due to the Spygate and Deflategate scandals. Longtime NFL executive Bill Polian reportedly influenced enough voters to negate Belichick’s candidacy.

“A voter who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Polian, an ardent Kraft supporter and former general manager of the Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts — a chief Patriots rival during their dynasty — told some voters he believed Belichick should “wait a year” before induction as penance for Spygate,” ESPN’s Seth Wickersham and Don Van Natta Jr. reported Jan. 27.

Despite the snubbing of both Kraft and Belichick, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell feels both will end up with a bust in Canton.

“Bill Belichick’s record goes without saying,” Goodell said at his annual state of the league press conference. “Same with the Patriots’ Robert Kraft, who is also a candidate. They are spectacular. They contribute so much to this game, and I believe they’ll be Hall of Famers.”

- Pat Pickens

PATRIOTS DEFEAT BRONCOS TO WIN THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

 

THE NFL STAGE IS SET | SUPER BOWL LV

 

PATRIOTS ROASTED BY FORMER SUPER BOWL MVP AHEAD OF AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

© David Butler II-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are heading to the AFC Championship Game after taking care of the Houston Texans on Sunday. 

The team will take on the Denver Broncos, who recently found out that starting quarterback Bo Nix will miss the rest of the postseason with a broken ankle. The Broncos were able to beat the Buffalo Bills anyway, but it'll be tough to move forward without their quarterback. 

However, not everybody is penciling the Patriots into the Super Bowl. 

Former NFL quarterback Nick Foles was watching the game and wanted to remind everybody about something. Foles mentioned that the Patriots "struggle against backup QBs" in championship-style games. 

"Note for the Broncos and their fans: I know it has been an emotional 24 hours. I feel for Bo and the team, and I'm sending prayers for a strong recovery," Foles said. "A positive note going into the game versus the Patriots is that they struggle against backup QBs in championship-type games."

Of course, Foles is referring to Super Bowl LII, where he stepped in as the backup quarterback and led the Philadelphia Eagles to a win over the Patriots. 

In that game, Foles played like a star, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns. The famous "Philly Special" play was born that night, and the Patriots received plenty of grief for losing to a backup quarterback. 

Foles went on to play one more season with the Eagles after that Super Bowl before signing a massive free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. 

It was a hilarious note from Foles, but the situations aren't exactly the same. 

Foles was the backup, but he had already been a Pro Bowler once in his career. The quarterback was a reliable veteran passer and one of the best backups in the league. 

The Broncos, though, have to rely on Jarrett Stidham. Stidham has just over 1,400 yards and eight touchdown passes in his career and has never played in a playoff game. 

Interestingly, Stidham did spend two seasons with the Patriots, and now he has a chance to prove himself against one of his former teams. 

- BRYCE LAZENBY

NFL DIVISIOMAL PLAYOFF | PATRIOTS VS. TEXANS

 

MOST VALUABLE SPORTS TEAMS IN THE WORLD

 

BREAKING: NFL REFS CAUGHT IN KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BIAS SCANDAL AFTER 13,000 PENALTY CALLS POINT TO PATRICK MAHOMES BENEFITING BIG TIME

NFL Refs Under Fire as Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes Seem to Get All the Lucky Calls (Image credit: X/@Uncle_JimmyD

The zebras in the NFL are under serious fire. A bombshell study out of the University of Texas at El Paso just accused NFL refs of playing biased when it comes to making decisions on the Kansas City Chiefs. And the numbers don’t lie.

Researchers literally crunched over 13,000 penalty calls spanning nearly a decade to prove that Patrick Mahomes and his squad got the benefit of the doubt way more than anyone else.

NFL Refs Under Fire as Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes Seem to Get All the Lucky Calls

The controversy exploded after Sunday’s Chiefs-Lions showdown. Kansas City had zero accepted penalties, while Detroit was flagged four times for 38 yards. The difference became obvious after the Chiefs had 13 penalties for 109 yards against Jacksonville the week before.

Fans immediately smelled something off. Social media erupted with accusations of rigged games and league manipulation. The timing seemed too perfect to be worse. That’s when the UTEP study dropped like a bomb.

The study read, “By analyzing more than 13,000 penalty calls from 2015 to 2023, researchers found that postseason officiating has disproportionately favored the Patrick Mahomes–era Kansas City Chiefs, coinciding with their rise as one of the NFL’s most marketable franchises…”

According to a University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) press release, researchers analyzed 13,000 penalty calls from 2015 to 2023. They found that postseason officiating apparently favored the Kansas City Chiefs disproportionately, especially during the Patrick Mahomes era. pic.twitter.com/UPKVGqfXWC

— Sportskeeda Pro Football (@SKProFootball) October 13, 2025

 

The study revealed penalties against opposing defenses in Chiefs playoff games were significantly more likely to produce first downs and cover more yardage. Subjective calls like roughing the passer and pass interference went Kansas City’s way far more often.

Here’s the kicker. These advantages didn’t exist for the Tom Brady-era New England Patriots or other recent Super Bowl contenders. This seems to only happen with the Chiefs, who became a big hit on TV.

The UTEP team drew parallels to financial markets and corporate governance. Dominant players often enjoy advantages not from explicit corruption, but because institutions adapt to preserve stability and revenue. The NFL playoffs represent the league’s most commercially valuable period.

Fans have been screaming about this for years. Now they’ve got data to back it up.

One fan wrote, “Something needs to be done about this. Even Aikman, Buck and the rules/officiating analyst were talking about how many calls the chiefs got. The Ball doesn’t lie but the refs definitely had their thumbs on the scale for the Chiefs—again.”

Something needs to be done about this. Even Aikman, Buck and the rules/officiating analyst were talking about how many calls the chiefs got. The Ball doesn’t lie but the refs definitely had their thumbs on the scale for the Chiefs—again. https://t.co/slW0zH0eqp

— Miles (@GuitarsGunsGolf) October 7, 2025

Another added, “@NFL refs had their own game plan…..Chiefs victory was decided before the game. How else do you explain 13 penalties the game prior to this one and ZERO this week. No team plays a perfectly clean game!! No way unless there’s help!”

@NFL refs had their own game plan…..Chiefs victory was decided before the game. How else do you explain 13 penalties the game prior to this one and ZERO this week. No team plays a perfectly clean game!! No way unless there’s help!

— MeikaRocco (@DogHouse5212) October 13, 2025

However, they don’t always get lucky. They were on the wrong end of false start calls against the Philadelphia Eagles in their Week 2 matchup. It’s not like the officials give Andy Reid’s squad the benefit of the doubt every single time.

Still, the pattern is quite crazy. Since Mahomes took over in 2018, the Chiefs have dominated. Seven straight AFC Championship appearances. Five Super Bowl trips. Three titles. Their winning streak happened at the same time they became really popular on TV.

- Manhaz Muntaha

EAGLES URGED TO GO 'ALL IN' ON $15 MILLION FORMER FIRST ROUND PICK

Getty 
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson.

Every year, in ever sport you love, teams win championships with an unexpected boost from a player no one was counting on.

Sometimes it’s really big, crazy moments. Like when New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree’s famous “Helmet Catch” against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. That followed a regular season in which Tyree had just 4 receptions for 35 yards and no touchdowns.

Sometimes it’s not as flashy but just as meaningful. Like what Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson did in the team’s run to winning Super Bowl LIX.

After just 19 receptions for 216 yards and no touchdowns in the regular season, Dotson had a touchdown catch in an NFC Wild Card Round win over the Green Bay Packers, then set up the Eagles’ first touchdown with a 28-yard reception in the first quarter of a 40-22 Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs on February 9.

While Dotson may have grossly underperformed for most of the regular season, if we look at the last 5 games he played last year — 4 playoff games and the regular season finale — we can see a player who looks like a viable WR3 option for Philadelphia in 2025.

If you spread out Dotson’s averages over the last 5 games he played in over a 17-game season, it comes out to roughly 34 receptions, 500 yards and 4 touchdowns — pretty much what any team is hoping for out of a WR3.

With his postseason success and the fact they’re only on the hook for $2.7 million in 2025, it’s becoming more and more clear the Eagles plan to go all in on the former first round pick as their WR3 option.

Dotson Carried Burdened of First Round Expectations

The original sin with Dotson was is he was selected in the first round to begin with, with the Washington Commanders and former head coach Ron Rivera taking him No. 16 overall in the 2022 NFL draft.

Playing on a 4-year, $15 million rookie contract, Dotson struggled through his first 2 seasons — in relative terms — with 84 receptions, 1,044 and 11 touchdowns in 2022 and 2023 combined. That’s bad production for a first round pick but pretty solid production for a WR3.

Fortunately for Dotson, the Eagles were looking for a WR3 behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith when they traded for him in August 2024. That deal included a 2025 third round pick, 2025 fifth round pick and 2025 seventh round pick to the Commanders in exchange for Dotson and a 2025 fifth round pick.

After having his fifth year option declined by the Eagles on April 23 — one full week before the deadline — if Dotson can show he is a competent WR3 he could be looking a pretty solid payday in 2026 free agency. That might mean something along the lines of the 1-year, $10 million contract wide receiver and Dotson’s former Commanders teammate Dyami Brown signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2025 free agency cycle.

If the 2025 NFL draft is any indication, the Eagles are full speed ahead with Dotson as WR3 in 2025. Philadelphia didn’t use a single one of its 10 picks on a wide receiver or tight end — great news for the skill position players at those spots already on the roster.

- Tony Adame

 

THESE TEAMS HAVE NEVER HAD THR WORST RECORD IN THE NFL

 

RANDY MOSS CONFIRMS HEALTH RUMORS INVOLVING-LIFE THREATENING ILLNESS, SURGERY

Randy Moss took a medical leave of absence from ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," where he has been an analyst since 2016. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

Former Minnesota Vikings and New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss has been battling a health issue that rode the fence between public and private for weeks -- until now.

Moss revealed a couple of weeks back that he was dealing with an internal health battle during his regular work as a member of ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown."

Rumors had begun to spread as Moss's eyes had turned visibly yellow, and indication of jaundice that is typically associated with liver problems. He later revealed on Instagram that he was in poor health and asked for prayers.

However, Moss did not get specific about his ailment, which left elements of privacy and intrigue amid the public news about his condition. That all changed on Friday, Dec. 13, when Moss took to Instagram Live and revealed a diagnosis of liver cancer.

Randy Moss on Instagram Live says he is a cancer survivor. He just got home, was in the hospital for 6 days.

— Seth Kaplan (@Seth_Kaplan) December 13, 2024

"Randy Moss on Instagram Live says he is a cancer survivor," Seth Kaplan of Fox 9 in Eden Prairie reported via an X post. "He just got home, was in the hospital for 6 days."

Kaplan updated Moss's condition in a series of posts that read as follows:

"Moss says, it'll be a tough road with chemo and radiation, but "your boy is back!" Thanking everyone for the prayers."

"Moss: They found cancer in the bile duct, between the pancreas and the liver. 6-hour surgery.

"Moss says, on Thanksgiving, he had a stent put in to help his liver."

Moss, an NFL Hall of Fame inductee, played 14 years in the league. He amassed 982 catches for 15,292 receiving yards and 156 touchdowns over that span.

Copyright 2024 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.

- Max Dible Athlon Sports

BILL BELICHICK REACHES 5-YEAR DEAL TO COACH NORTH CAROLINA

In one of the most stunning and compelling moves in college football history, six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was named the new head coach at North Carolina on Wednesday night.

UNC officials said the sides agreed to a five-year deal pending approval by the board of trustees, which is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Thursday.

Belichick, 72, worked in the NFL in some capacity from 1975 until his divorce from the New England Patriots after the 2023 season. This will be his first college coaching job.

Belichick's father, Steve, served as an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.

"I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times," Belichick said as part of a release announcing the move. "I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."

Belichick's hiring at North Carolina, which hasn't won an ACC football title since 1980, was spearheaded by board chair John P. Preyer, who had homed in on Belichick in recent weeks. Sources told ESPN that the sides met multiple times at length, including for five hours Sunday, and those talks culminated with Belichick finalizing the deal Wednesday.

For a program awash in apathy and mediocrity, this marks a distinct and compelling shift from Mack Brown, as Belichick gives the Tar Heels an unprecedented jolt of star power for 2025 and beyond.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said hiring Belichick positions the program well amid the changing landscape of college sports.

"Bill Belichick is a football legend and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina Football can evolve, compete and win -- today and in the future," Cunningham said in the school's news release. "At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and Coach Belichick shares that commitment."

Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive who also was an assistant under Belichick with the Patriots from 2014 to 2016, said Wednesday night he would serve as the general manager of the Tar Heels' program.

The Patriots' six Super Bowls under Belichick are an NFL record. (He won two more as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.) He enters college football with 333 NFL wins, behind only Don Shula's record of 347.

North Carolina fired Brown, 73, on Nov. 26 after a 6-6 season, ending his second stint at the school with a 44-33 record over six years. He coached the Tar Heels' regular-season finale, a 35-30 loss to NC State, then said it was a "great time for me to get out."

The hiring of the famously aloof Belichick, who joked Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show" about his news conference aura, represents a significant shift from Brown's syrupy Southern charm.

Belichick has spent his year away from the sideline doing multiple media jobs while making it clear he wanted to return to coaching. After exploring multiple NFL positions last year following his departure from New England, it was expected Belichick would explore the NFL market again.

But sources told ESPN that a return to coaching in general had been paramount for Belichick. He spent a lot of time around his former assistant, Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch, and talking to friends and former assistant coaches around college football. Belichick's son Stephen is the Huskies' defensive coordinator and is expected to be involved with the North Carolina staff in some way.

At 72 years old, Bill Belichick is now the oldest head coach in the FBS. The previous oldest entering this season was Mack Brown (73), whom Belichick is succeeding at North Carolina:

Through the NFL draft every year, Belichick has built up a reserve of college coach confidants, and he has popped up at places such as Washington, Rutgers and LSU this year for college games.

Belichick also spent recent days familiarizing himself with the transfer portal and NIL, and he spent a lot of time on how the organizational chart of a college system would work.

He made it clear in his interview with McAfee on Monday that he would create an incubator for NFL talent if he were a college coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," Belichick said. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

He concluded a lengthy portrait of what the program would look like by saying: "It would be an NFL program, but not at the NFL level."

If talks between Belichick and North Carolina had broken down, Cleveland Browns passing game specialist and tight ends coach Tommy Rees was considered the favorite to land the Tar Heels job, league sources told ESPN. Rees interviewed for the job twice, and he had Nick Saban as an advocate.

Other names that had emerged in the search included veteran NFL coach Steve Wilks, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, Army coach Jeff Monken and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Smith indicated he would stay with the Steelers, and Tulane reached an agreement in principle with Sumrall on a contract extension.

- Pete Thamel, Adam Schefter, Chris Low

THE LAST TIME EACH TEAM WON A SUPER BOWL

 

PATRIOTS' JABRILL PEPPERS TO FACE STRANGULATION, DRUG CHARGES

 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday and will face charges that include strangulation and drug possession, according to police in Braintree, Massachusetts.

Peppers, a team captain, didn't play in the Patriots' 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. He had been limited in practice last week because of a shoulder injury, and the team officially ruled him out Saturday.

Police announced Peppers' arrest Monday, saying they responded to a disturbance at a residential address early Saturday morning when a caller indicated there was an altercation between two people.

Police said Peppers, who turned 29 on Friday, will be charged with "assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a Class B substance believed to be cocaine."

The alleged victim was treated at the scene, and Peppers is expected to be arraigned Monday in Quincy (Massachusetts) District Court.

"He called me that morning. I knew what was going on," head coach Jerod Mayo told sports radio WEEI on Monday. "We've informed the NFL what was going on and we're still gathering information. ... I don't think anyone knows the facts or anything like that. It's a process."

In a statement, the Patriots said they were "aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating" and would have no further comment.

- Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer

TOM BRADY INDUCTED INTO PATRIOTS HALL OF FAME, NO. 12 RETIRED

 

"It wasn’t me, it wasn’t you, it was us,” Tom Brady said of his former coach in New England, Bill Belichick. "Let me make this crystal clear -- there is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick." New England Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In a sold-out ceremony in front of more than 60,000 fans at Gillette Stadium, Tom Brady was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame Wednesday night, with owner Robert Kraft announcing that his jersey No. 12 will never be worn again in New England.

In addition, Kraft said a statue of Brady measuring 12 feet tall will be unveiled during the 2024 season, something the franchise has never done before.

"Our goal was to create a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony for a one-in-a-kind player. I hope we accomplished that goal with a few firsts," Kraft said.

Brady capped off the three-hour program with a rousing speech that was at times fiery, emotional, inspirational and humorous. He called it a "monumental moment" in his life, expressed his thanks to Kraft, and concluded by saying: "I am eternally grateful. I am Tom Brady. And I am a Patriot."

Brady's 20 years with the franchise from 2000-19 produced six Super Bowl championships and 17 AFC East titles before he finished his career playing three seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning another Super Bowl.

More than 100 of his teammates and former coaches attended the Hall of Fame ceremony, including Bill Belichick, which marked the first time Belichick was back at Gillette Stadium since he and the Patriots parted ways in January after 24 seasons.

Brady noted the presence of Belichick, who was one of the night's featured speakers earlier in the night and received a thunderous ovation.

"Thank you for your tireless commitment to develop and push me to be my very best. It wasn't me, it wasn't you, it was us," Brady said. "Let me make this crystal clear - there is no coach in the world I would rather play for than Bill Belichick."

Belichick had concluded his remarks with a similar message for Brady.

"Thank you for all that you've done for us. Thank you for all you've done for me. And thank you for the example and model that you've been for all of us, on a daily basis, for 20 years," Belichick said. "You're unbelievable."

The night included a few surprises for Brady, including the presence of his longtime rival Peyton Manning, who insisted that he deliver his remarks in person after noting that Brady was there for him at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2021.

Singer Kenny Chesney was on hand to perform a live version of his song "The Boys of Fall" and rapper Jay-Z sang "Public Service Announcement" -- the song that played when Brady took the field during the second half of his Patriots career.

Brady's parents, sisters and extended family were all in attendance, and Brady often showed his emotions when mentioning them throughout the night.

"It is so difficult to put into words what this night means to me and our entire family," he said.

- Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS' | NFL DRAFT

 

BILL BELICHICK THANKS PATRIOTS FANS, REMEMBERS 'AMAZING' MOMENTS

USA TODAY Sports 

 Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick took out a full-page ad in Sunday's edition of The Boston Globe, thanking New England fans for their support over his long tenure with the team.

"Nowhere in America are pro sports fans as passionate as in New England and for 24 years, I was blessed to feel your passion and power. The Patriots are the only NFL team representing SIX states but in reality, Patriots Nation knows no borders," he started his letter, which ran on page A3 of Sunday's paper.

Belichick, 71, and the Patriots parted ways on Jan. 11 after a run that included six Super Bowl titles and three more AFC championships. He compiled a 266-121 record in the regular season and 30-12 in the postseason over 24 years in New England.

BILL BELICHICK LEAVING PATRIOTS AFTER 24 SEASONS, SOURCES SAY

Bill Belichick has 333 wins all time (regular season and playoffs), 14 behind Hall of Famer Don Shula. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are expected to part ways Thursday after a remarkable 24 seasons together, ending an unmatched run in NFL history that included six Super Bowl titles, league sources told ESPN.

Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent a good part of this week periodically meeting and discussing how each side wanted to proceed. From sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.

Both Belichick and Kraft, as one outside party noted, "took the high road," which was fitting for an owner-coach tandem that will go down as one of the greatest and most decorated in NFL history.

Belichick, who had one year remaining on his contract, will be allowed to leave the team without the Patriots seeking compensation. He will want to continue coaching and is expected to draw interest from at least some of the other seven NFL teams that have head-coaching vacancies, quite possibly the Atlanta Falcons, league sources said.

The Patriots now will embark on their first head-coaching search in a quarter century. Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, whom the team signed to a contract extension in the offseason and Kraft has identified as a rising head-coaching candidate, projects to be a, if not the, leading candidate for the job, sources said. Mayo played for the Patriots from 2008 to 2014 and has been an assistant under Belichick since 2019.