Leaked photos with Dianna Russini may force Mike Vrabel, the head coach of the New England Patriots, to address the controversy with the team.
This is what NBC Sports Boston reporter Michael Holley reported, quoting an unnamed former player whose message is blunt.
“I talked to a former player, and he said, “The hell they won’t want answers,”‘ the journalist said while weighing in on the drama, suggesting the locker room will not slide down the matter.
“You think Mike Vrabel can just brush this under the rug without talking to the players? Coaches don’t treat us like they treat the media,” Holley notes.
Vrabel, who has been coaching the New England Patriots since last year, has his reputation on the line, the reporter hints, noting that his way out is to explain the matter to his squad.
“I think Vrabel will have to say something to his team. I think he’s going to have to answer to something that’s been in the news for a while. For his credibility he’s going to have to say something to the team.”
But in a sharp contrast to Holley’s portrayal, Eliot Wolf, Patriots EVP of Player Personnel, insists in spite of the row, Vrabel is still deeply involved in the team’s business ahead of the NFL draft.
“[Mike is] very involved. Business as usual,” he said in a press conference, adding, “He’s been in there with us, probably this round of meetings, a little bit more than last year.”
Dianne Russini resigns from The Athletic
Russini, on the other hand, quit in the wake of an internal probe. The Athletic, while slamming the rumours of having an affair with Vrabel.
“I do so [resign] not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career,” she wrote in the letter.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.”
“This media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process. The Athletic is trying to complete.”
“Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30,” the letter concluded.
