Mike Vrabel is stepping away from the NFL Draft and entering counseling, after new photos surfaced showing him and Dianna Russini together at a secluded New York City bar on March 11, 2020. The move comes as the Mike Vrabel story has returned to the center of attention with fresh allegations and renewed scrutiny over events that were kept out of view for years. Vrabel said the decision is aimed at becoming the best husband, father and coach he can be.
Mike Vrabel says he is prioritizing family and well-being
Vrabel said he will miss Day 3 of the NFL Draft to begin counseling starting this weekend., he said he had promised his family, his organization and his team that he would give them “the best version” of himself, and added that he believes this step will help him become a better person.
The Mike Vrabel statement was direct and personal. He said the decision was not easy to admit, but that he felt it was necessary and promised a stronger resolve as a result.
What the photos show in New York City
The newly surfaced images place Mike Vrabel and Russini inside Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020. They were seated close together at the bar, and the account tied to the photos says they appeared to share a kiss while spending at least an hour there.
An eyewitness described the two as “all over each other” and said they were kissing repeatedly. The same account says the pair stayed mostly unnoticed inside the dimly lit bar, with few people present and little recognition from staff.
At the time, Vrabel was married to his wife, Jen, and Russini was not yet married to her future husband. The photos surfaced six years before later images showed the two holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort.
Mike Vrabel and Russini were both working in football
When the bar outing took place, Mike Vrabel was head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Russini was working as an NFL reporter at, and had posted a photo from the network’s New York studio just hours before the outing.
The same evening, she joked in a caption about “a blonde, a brunette, and a red head” walking into a bar. The timing has now taken on added weight as the earlier night out is placed against the more recent images and Vrabel’s counseling announcement.
Responses from the Patriots and the people involved
The New England Patriots said they support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family and his well-being. The team said he has been open about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, the team and fans, and added that draft evaluations are complete and staff is prepared to proceed as planned.
Neither Vrabel nor Russini publicly commented on the photos when contacted about them. The Mike Vrabel situation now sits at the intersection of a draft-week absence, a personal counseling decision and renewed attention on a years-old encounter.
What comes next
Vrabel will not be present at the facility on Saturday, and the Patriots say their draft process remains on track. The immediate next development will be whether more details emerge around the photos, the timeline and the continuing reaction to the Mike Vrabel fallout.
For now, the focus remains on counseling, the draft and the damage done by the renewed attention around Mike Vrabel.
