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Another New England Patriots player has the support of his head coach.
Star cornerback Christian Gonzalez was asked about Mike Vrabel’s controversial relationship with former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, specifically what Vrabel said he discussed with the team.
González did not mince words with his response.
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Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots watches before Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
“We are not going to talk about what we talked about inside the building,” González told reporters. “But I mean, that’s my coach. I go out there and play for him. He’s shown what he can do as a coach. That’s my guy, and I go after Vrabes any time of the day.”
Patriots captains Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane were also previously asked about Vrabel’s situation.
“Obviously, you know, I know you guys want to hear everything that’s going on, but to be honest, we’re just focused,” he told reporters Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports. “I’m focused on what we’re going through right now in this building with this team.”
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Henry added that he’s “just focused on the guys in this locker room and trying to build it from the ground up.” In other words, he’s not going to comment on his head coach’s off-field controversy.
Spillane echoed Henry’s sentiment.
“The coach trains football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” he explained, according to MassLive. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues. But when we’re in the building, we talk about football.”
These Patriots are all on the same page with Vrabel despite the scandal that created a football storm off the field.
Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots runs on the field before Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on February 8, 2026. (Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
The Patriots released a statement before the first round of the draft, saying they “fully support” Vrabel.
“Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to fulfill that commitment,” the statement said.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our staff during this pre-draft process.”
Vrabel was with the Patriots for the first two nights of the NFL Draft, but left during rounds four through seven to seek counseling.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is on the field before the 2026 AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on January 25, 2026. (Ron Chenoy/Image Images)
“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of myself that I could give them,” Vrabel said in a statement, according to ESPN.
“To achieve this, I have committed to seeking counseling starting this weekend. This is something I have thought a lot about and is something I would recommend a player do if I were counseling them.”
Vrabel also told reporters that he’s had “some difficult conversations with people I care about” regarding him and Russini being photographed together at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona, in his first public comments about the controversial relationship.
Since then, photos from 2020 have emerged showing Vrabel and Russini kissing at a New York City bar. The photographs obtained exclusively by the New York Post were taken in the early morning hours of March 11, 2020.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks with quarterback Drake Maye during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 19, 2025. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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Russini reportedly married Kevin Goldschmidt, her husband and Shake Shack executive, six months after the photos were taken. Goldschmidt and Russini also share two children.
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999 and they share two children. In the images, Vrabel’s wedding ring is seen on his left hand while he chats with Russini. At the time, Russini was at ESPN, while Vrabel coached the Tennessee Titans.
