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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel addressed recent photos that show him and New York Times and The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini in swimsuits by a pool.
The photos, originally published by the New York Post’s Page Six, also show the coach and reporter holding hands and hugging on the roof of a resort bungalow in Sedona, Arizona.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is ridiculous,” Vrabel told the Post. “This deserves no further response.”
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates with members of his team after a touchdown during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl LX football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Lynne Sladky/AP)
Russini has also responded.
“The photos do not represent the group of six people who were together during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources outside of stadiums and other locations.” Russini said.
The Athletic provided its own statement to the outlet.
“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” said Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic. “These were public interactions in front of a lot of people. Dianna is a top journalist covering the NFL and we are proud to have her at The Athletic.”
PATRIOTS COACH MIKE VRABEL RESPONDS AFTER APPARENT RB DEFENDS JADEN IVEY’S ANTI-LGBTQ COMMENTS
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP)
Vrabel is coming off a season in which he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl and won the NFL Coach of the Year award.
Vrabel won the award over his Sunday Super Bowl LX opponent, Mike Macdonald of the Seattle Seahawks, Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers, Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears.
It was the second time in Vrabel’s coaching career that he won the award. He received 19 of the 50 first-place votes and earned a total of 302 points.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks at a news conference after an NFL wild card playoff football game in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (Charles Krupa/AP)
Vrabel first won the award while directing the Tennessee Titans in 2021.
Vrabel is the seventh coach to win Coach of the Year for multiple franchises, joining Chuck Knox, Bill Parcells, Bruce Arians, Dan Reeves, Don Shula and George Allen.
