Patriots' Mike Vrabel speaks out after photos of him kissing NFL reporter Dianna Russini leak

Another sighting? More photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini have surfaced. This messy situation just got messier.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel took questions about his recent decision to step away from the team amid a series of photo leaks that appear to show him engaging in romantic and personal moments with former New York Times/The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini.

Vrabel will miss multiple days of the NFL Draft, which he announced early on Thursday. 

In the hours that followed that announcement, photos that appeared to show Vrabel and Russini kissing at a bar were published by the New York Post and were reportedly taken six years ago.

Later Thursday, TMZ published photos of Vrabel and Russini at a casino.

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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks at a news conference after an NFL wild-card playoff game in Foxborough, Mass., on Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

"My previous actions don't meet the standard that I hold myself to," Vrabel said. "My priorities are my family and this football team, in that order. And there is a balance there that I am going to create."

At the end of the news conference, Vrabel was asked to explain why he initially made a statement calling photos of him and Russini at an Arizona resort "laughable" after they were published by the New York Post earlier in April.

"That's a private and personal matter. I don't think that those comments ... it was an attempt to protect your family," Vrabel said.

It was the last question Vrabel answered before storming off the podium and out of the room.

PATRIOTS COACH MIKE VRABEL SEEKS OUT 'RATS' AFTER LEAKED INJURY REPORT: 'WE’LL FIGURE THAT OUT'

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