Patriots Have No Plans To Move On From Mike Vrabel In 2026

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is dealing with a family crisis, and stepped away from the team’s draft in the aftermath of growing visual evidence of him having an affair with a prominent NFL reporter, but it’s highly unlikely that impacts his job security in any way.

While some are speculating about what further reporting may come out regarding his relationship with former 'The Athletic' and ESPN reporter Dianna Russini and the potential fallout for the coach and his employers. League sources continue to indicate that the franchise is firmly behind Vrabel and owner Robert Kraft has his full support as he attempts to prepare the team for its defense of an AFC crown and also try to repair the damage he has done to his family.

Kraft, who has dealt with his share of personal and organizational controversy throughout his long tenure owning the team, has given no indication he is considering any sort of discipline or penalty for any of this. 

The NFL continues to make it clear that it will not be taking any sort of action against Vrabel for his personal conduct and the reality is plenty of high-ranking officials with teams and within the league have their own share of skeletons along these lines.

No Impetus To Investigate 

While reporting persists about the Patriots perhaps going in a different direction at head coach, that runs counter to anything we’ve heard from anyone connected to that team, or any team for that matter.

“You know how this league works,” said one general manager. 

“Kraft isn’t going to do anything unless the league makes him, and that’s not happening because of an affair. It’s not like this was in-office. If it was the wife of somebody else on his staff, that would be a different story.”

Vrabel spent the bulk of his playing career with he Patriots, and when he was fired by the Titans Kraft was willing to blow up his hand-picked succession plan for replacing legendary former head coach Bill Belichick. 

Kraft fired former Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo after just one year t land Vrabel, and then reached the Super Bowl in his first year with him.

The idea that he’d fire him again (promoting offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be one possibility) based on something unrelated to football a few months after nearly hoisting the Lombardi Trophy is far fetched in the eyes of NFL execs who know him. 

But, much like the story itself, such speculation is unlikely to go away.