New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel reportedly had to be talked out of offering up a more enthusiastic defense of Dianna Russini when photos of them together were initially published.
A new story from Ben Strauss and Kalyn Kahler of ESPN outlined how the offseason drama surrounding Vrabel and Russini impacted the Patriots. It contains one fascinating reveal about how Vrabel wanted to respond when the New York Post first sought comment from him before publishing the controversial photos.
Vrabel initially sought to issue a stronger statement that went out of its way to defend Russini’s ethics. He ultimately settled for a more vague statement that downplayed the photos as “a completely innocent interaction” that was being taken out of context.
Had Vrabel instinctively defended Russini like that, it would have looked more suspicious. Of course, that ultimately came to pass when more photos and rumors about the two surfaced publicly.
Russini ultimately left The Athletic amid an investigation into her conduct, while Vrabel said he sought counseling after the situation. The Patriots coach has avoided answering any questions of the subject and insists that he has moved on from whatever actually happened.
