If you were hoping to hear from New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel as he sets the record straight about the Dianna Russini controversy, well, you must have been born yesterday.
The Patriots will hold their pre-draft press conference on Monday at 2:00 p.m. ET. While Vrabel was front and center at that presser last season, he’s apparently going to be a no-show this year.
That’s according to Mike Reiss of ESPN, who is reporting that V.P. of player personnel Eliot Wolf will conduct the team’s press conference instead.
“Vrabel — who has been in the news this week, as the Athletic is reinvestigating the coverage of NFL reporter Dianna Russini and the nature of her relationship with him, sources familiar with the matter told ESPN — isn’t expected to address reporters until the draft,” wrote Reiss, via PFT.
It’s certainly not unheard of for someone other than the head coach to take questions for a pre-draft discussion. However, given the heightened interest in his recent encounter with The Athletic’s NFL reporter at a resort in Arizona, many want to hear what he has to say.
Of the photos that showed Vrabel and Russini holding hands, hugging, and lounging in a hot tub, the Patriots coach told Page Six that they “show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Unfortunately for him, that time has passed, and there will indeed be a desire for further responses, whether he wants to provide them or not. Not only are there many questions about the photos, but also about his and Russini’s working relationship going back years.
The New York Times reported Saturday that The Athletic is investigating Russini’s conduct over the situation. Specifically, it would be looking into “the nature of Ms. Russini’s relationship with Mr. Vrabel” while also reviewing her previous coverage. Robertson added that Russini would not be reporting for The Athletic while the investigation was underway.
Vrabel will only have so long before he can no longer duck the media. The NFL Draft concludes on April 25, and there will be demand for the Patriots’ head coach to comment on who his team selected. There will also be plenty of questions about this situation, even as he and the team might try to avoid them.
