A New England Patriots executive revealed that NFL coach Mike Vrabel is still “very involved” in player evaluations for the 2026-27 season after he was seen holding hands with and hugging reporter Dianna Russini.
“Business as usual,” Eliot Wolf told reporters at a pre-draft press conference on Monday, per People.
“He’s been in there with us a little more than he was last year. He’s been contributing. He’s watched a ton of the players.”
Vrabel, 50, skipped the press conference after he and Russini, 43, were photographed holding hands while at the Ambiente resort in Sedona, Arizona, last month, according to photos obtained by Page Six last week.
The photos showed the duo — who are married to separate people — also embracing with a view of the Brins Mesa mountain range behind them.
A Page Six spy told us that Vrabel and the Athletic sports journalist were seen grabbing breakfast together and enjoying time at the pool and a hot tub.
They also spent time together on a private rooftop that showcases the red rock formations around the resort.
Vrabel told Page Six the photos obtained were “a completely innocent interaction,” while Russini said they “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.”
Both Russini and Vrabel insist they were there with friends and say those friends simply weren’t visible in the pictures.
Additionally, a source close to the journalist shared that she was staying at the hotel with two female friends for a hiking trip.
A pal close to Vrabel, meanwhile, shared that he drove to Sedona with a friend to hang out.
The coach and his pal then drove back to their hotel — two hours away — after meeting up with Russini and her friends, the source added.
However, eyewitnesses at the resort told us that they didn’t see Vrabel and Russini with other people.
After the photos were released, Page Six was told that Russini — a senior NFL insider — was sidelined by the Athletic, a publication by the New York Times, and the outlet was “reviewing her coverage.” The Atlantic declined to comment.
Russini tied the knot to Kevin Goldschmidt — a Shake Shack executive — in 2020, and they share two kids together.
Vrabel is married to his wife, Jen, and they’ve been married for at least 26 years and are the parents of two sons.
