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Earlier this week, New England Patriots<\/a> tight end Hunter Henry<\/a> and linebacker Robert Spillane<\/a>\u00a0were unable to avoid\u00a0<\/span>questions<\/span><\/a>\u00a0from media members regarding\u00a0<\/span>the ongoing controversy involving head coach\u00a0<\/span>Mike Vrabel<\/a> and longtime NFL reporter\u00a0<\/span>Dianna Russini.<\/a><\/p>\n Henry and Spillane both voiced support for Vrabel at the time. While speaking at an event on Wednesday evening, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye<\/a> was asked to comment on the biggest storyline that has hovered over the franchise throughout April.\u00a0<\/p>\n Like his teammates, Maye spoke carefully about the subject.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We\u2019re\u00a0<\/span>here for coach,” Maye said, per Josh Alper<\/a> of Pro Football Talk, citing Jonathan Hall of 7News.\u00a0“We love coach, what he does for us, what he\u2019s done for us this past year \u2014 you can\u2019t speak into words.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This scandal began when photos surfaced showing Vrabel and Russini, who are married to other people, spending time together at an Arizona resort in late March. Not long after\u00a0Russini\u00a0<\/span>resigned<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>from her role of covering the NFL for The Athletic,\u00a0<\/span>new\u00a0<\/span>pictures<\/a> were published showing her and Vrabel sharing a kiss and “sitting very close to each other” at a New York City bar in March 2020.\u00a0<\/p>\n Vrabel\u00a0spent the last day of the<\/span> 2026 NFL Draft away from the Patriots so that he reportedly could participate in\u00a0<\/span>counseling.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0He returned to the team facility this past Monday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio<\/a> shared, Vrabel received what became a standing ovation while attending a season-ticket holder event on Tuesday night. However, Vrabel suggested<\/a>\u00a0shortly before the draft got underway that he<\/span> could spend time away from the team again if he feels his “family needs” him.<\/p>\n Such comments could lead one to question whether or not Vrabel could step down from his position, but it sounds like Maye believes he’ll still have Vrabel as a head coach this coming September.<\/p>\n “Just thankful he\u2019s our head coach,” Maye added about Vrabel. “I know he\u2019s dealing with some stuff off the field and out of the coaching world, we\u2019re here for him. And I know he\u2019s going to come back.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\nDrake Maye, Patriots players will continue to support Mike Vrabel<\/h2>\n
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Drake Maye “thankful” to have Mike Vrabel as a head coach<\/h2>\n
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