Mike Vrabel’s offseason has been ugly. Allegations of a years-long affair with NFL insider Dianna Russini have hung over Foxborough since April. He skipped Day 3 of the NFL Draft to attend counseling alongside his family. In late April, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer made headlines when he said that Vrabel “has not been the same” around the building, noting that his “bravado” and demeanor were different due to the ongoing scandal.
This week, it appears something shifted. There’s a new report indicating that the vibe around Vrabel is finally turning, which prompted plenty of reactions from the NFL world.
Mike Vrabel’s ‘Vibe’ Changes Despite Ongoing Dianna Russini Controversy
“The vibe Mike Vrabel is bringing into the building is significantly better than it was two weeks ago,” said Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal.
Vrabel has spent the last six weeks at the center of a scandal that pulled him away from the draft, became a huge distraction, cost Russini her job at The Athletic, and turned every Patriots press conference into a referendum on his personal life.
Patriots fans were excited to hear that Vrabel is getting back to normal, with Savage Boston’s official handle posting, “The Patriots are so back.”
The Patriots are so back https://t.co/T0C0SFE6Av
— Savage (@Savageboston) May 16, 2026
However, not everyone reacted this way. Cover 1 Sports co-owner Aaron Quinn led the pile-on with a sarcasm-soaked post.
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“Oh thank god, the adulterous is feeling better that the news cycle moved on,” Quinn wrote on X. “I was worried he would be riddled with guilt for life for destroying his vows and commitment to his marriage.”
Oh thank god, the adulterous is feeling better that the news cycle moved on. I was worried he would be riddled with guilt for life for destroying his vows and commitment to his marriage. https://t.co/XssMLdF2jw
— Aaron Quinn (@AaronQuinn716) May 17, 2026
Philadelphia Eagles influencer Tom Stakes joked that he wants the gossip machine to get cranking again.
“Yo @TMZ turn us back up right quick,” he wrote, openly inviting another news cycle on Vrabel and Russini.
Yo @TMZ turn us back up right quick https://t.co/sRmJaouMtO
— tom stakes (@tomstakes) May 16, 2026
Popular Patriots fan account Title Talk TCL posted a fake image of Vrabel, looking sharp with a cigarette in his mouth.
“I knew saving this picture would pay off one day,” they wrote.
I knew saving this picture would pay off one day https://t.co/v2F6nMp37i pic.twitter.com/HaraOkShb9
— TCL (@TitleTalkTCL) May 16, 2026
Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal recently covered the Patriots’ rookie minicamp, and he also noted that Vrabel looked like himself.
“A big thing that I noticed during rookie minicamp this past weekend was how much energy Vrabel brought to the field, noting it was very much the same old Vrabel that we observed a season ago,” Giardi wrote. “It has been more difficult for him to find that balance behind closed doors; however, it has become more evident to people in the building, slowly but surely. And the on-field stuff? Well, let’s just say it wasn’t just a show for gathered media on Saturday.”
Newly acquired safety Kevin Byard, who played under Vrabel in Tennessee, backed Giardi’s read.
“Same old guy, honestly, same guy that I recognize from being back in Tennessee,” Byard told Giardi. “A guy that is full of energy, coaching the entire team, running back and forth, from offense, defense, special teams. I don’t see a difference whatsoever.”
Vrabel’s culture-building was central to the Patriots’ 2025 turnaround, which ended in a Super Bowl LX appearance, despite the 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He led New England to a 14-3 regular-season record in his first year on the job and was named 2025 NFL Coach of the Year.
The 2026 slate is brutal, though. The Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills are all on the schedule, and a fully locked-in Vrabel is the floor the Patriots are building from.
New England will play in the NFL’s 2026 season opener on September 9.
