ESPN's Peter Schrager was compelled to withdraw his earlier statement that the New England Patriots maintained 'constant contact' with head coach Mike Vrabel on the third day of the NFL Draft, as Vrabel began counseling sessions amid the unfolding Dianna Russini scandal.
Vrabel Seeks Professional Help
The embattled Patriots head coach is seeking professional assistance following allegations of an affair with sports reporter Dianna Russini. Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic after Page Six published photographs of her and Vrabel at a luxury Arizona retreat costing $2,500 per night. Both individuals, who are married with children, initially denied the affair allegations, insisting they were at the resort with a larger group when the images were captured.
Earlier this week, Vrabel announced he would be attending counseling this weekend and pledged to become a 'better person' in a contrite apology to his family. Consequently, he was absent as the Patriots concluded their NFL Draft activities on Saturday, having participated alongside general manager Eliot Wolf and vice president of player personnel Ryan Cowden during the first three rounds on Thursday and Friday.
Schrager's Initial Report and Retraction
Schrager, a prominent NFL analyst who previously worked for Fox before joining ESPN, initially reported on Saturday that New England officials were still in touch with Vrabel 'via telephone and text message' despite his counseling commitments. 'I've been told from Patriots sources that they're in constant contact with Vrabel throughout the day,' he claimed live on ESPN.
However, Schrager later backtracked in a humiliating post on X. 'Following up on the Vrabel report, it was my understanding that Coach Vrabel was going to be in contact with the staff via phone/text, but I've learned that in the end, both Vrabel and the team ultimately chose not to interrupt him and his family during Day 3 of the Draft,' he wrote.
Personal Lives and Fallout
Vrabel has been married to his wife Jen, the mother of his two sons, for over two decades. Russini also has two sons with her husband Kevin Goldschmidt, whom she married in 2020. Despite continuing to deny the claims upon her departure, Russini resigned from The Athletic amid an investigation by the New York Times, the publication's parent company.
Vrabel, meanwhile, has avoided punishment from the Patriots, who have publicly supported their head coach in recent days. The downcast coach apologized to his family just before the NFL Draft commenced on Thursday night. 'I understand that there are questions, but 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 our fans,' he said.
'My previous actions don't meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don't. 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, and that's what we're going to do.' He added, 'That's going to start, that has started, and that'll continue this weekend and it'll continue for however long it takes for me to give them and to complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible.'
Photos and Allegations
The initial photographs of Vrabel and Russini published by Page Six, showing them hugging, laughing, and lounging poolside at the getaway in Sedona, Arizona, were reportedly captured on March 28. On Wednesday night, the outlet published new images of the pair having breakfast together, allegedly taken on the same morning. While sources close to both parties insist they were joined by a group of friends, 'multiple eyewitnesses' reportedly claimed they were actually 'alone' at the time. The photos appear to show Vrabel sitting across the table from Russini, though only the side of his head is visible in one image, making it impossible to determine if anyone else was seated nearby. Russini, clearly visible in the photographs, does not appear to be sitting next to anyone.
On Thursday, it also emerged that Vrabel and the NFL insider were allegedly caught kissing at a secluded bar six years ago. The latest batch of exclusive photos from the New York Post purportedly shows Vrabel, then coach of the Tennessee Titans, at the now-closed Tribeca Tavern with Russini, who was working for ESPN and frequently covering the team at the time. 'They were kissing and they were all over each other,' one witness told Page Six of the March 11, 2020, encounter in New York. 'He had a ring on.' The source described the pair as 'all over each other,' adding, 'They were having a glorious time. They were [giving each other] pecks, a bunch of pecks constantly. There was nobody in there. Nobody knew who they were. I don't even think the bartenders did.'
