Drake Maye says he and the rest of the New England Patriots are standing ten toes behind head coach Mike Vrabel. The unwavering loyalty, however, is being questioned by some NFL fans who are accusing the quarterback of supporting things they say are in direct conflict with the Bible.

The unexpected backlash directed towards Maye comes weeks after Mike Vrabel made headlines after being spotted with former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort. Since then, additional information has come to light, showing Russini and Vrabel had a years-long connection long before anyone knew about it.

Drake Maye Facing Backlash After Showing Unwavering Support To New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel

With eyes shifting toward the upcoming NFL season, reporter Jonanthan Hall asked Maye for his thoughts on the recent drama surrounding Vrabel and the rest of his family. “We’re here for coach,” Maye said. “We love coach — what he does for us, what he’s done for us this past year, you can’t speak into words.”

Maye went on to praise Vrabel, an Ohio State alum and 3x Super Bowl champion, and revealed how “thankful” he and the rest of the team were to have him in their corner. “I know he’s doing some stuff off the field and out of the coaching world, but we’re here for him and I know he’s gonna come back,” Maye added.

Maye’s support, though, has drawn some criticism, as some social media users questioned why the 23-year-old was offering support to Vrabel, who, based on released footage, appeared to be involved in unethical behavior.

“Sad choice there, young man,” someone wrote. “You’re being a performative Christian, not a real one.” The user then added a Bible verse, Exodus 20:14, which reads, “You shall not commit adultery.”

Another user posted, “All these fake religious players turning a blind eye to this scandal, lmao.”

A third wrote, “This is just so shocking. One white Christian male taking up for another white ‘Christian’ male. Cognitive dissonance Drake.”

Mikle Vrabel Breaks Silence After Being Spotted Getting Cozy With A New York Times Reporter

The attention has been on Vrabel for weeks now, according to The Blast. Photos of him with Russini—a longtime NFL reporter—were shared online, sparking a frenzy on social media and in the real world.

The pictures were taken at a fancy resort in Arizona and showed the pair lying by the pool, as well as others showing them embracing with a big hug.

Initially, Vrabel called the speculation about his apparent relationship with Russini “laughable”; however, things took a serious turn when Russini stepped down from The New York Times.

Vrabel changed his tune about the situation days later. While speaking to the media, he admitted to having “difficult conversations” with people close to him before revealing he’d begin taking steps to become a better coach and family man.

Mike Vrabel Did Not Receive Any Punishment From The NFL After Spending Personal Time With Russini

While Russini moved on from her role with the NYT, Vrabel will continue as the head coach of the New England Patriots. According to The Blast, the NFL said it would not investigate whether Vrabel violated conduct policy, which requires all NFL personnel to be free of “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the league.

Shortly after that announcement, Vrabel announced he would miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to attend counseling. While he didn’t say who he was attending counseling with, many assumed it was with his wife, Jen.

“I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about. My family, this football team, the organization and the fans,” Vrabel said. “My priorities are my family and this football and in that order.”

Vrabel Said To Be Down About The Situation

Since speaking before the draft, Vrabel has kept his comments about the scandal minimal. Sports broadcaster Albert Beer said that he noticed a change in Vrabel since the scandal became front-page news, per The Blast.

“I can just tell you factually he has not been the same the last two weeks in that building,” Breer said. “The sense I’ve gotten talking to people is that bravado and everything else, I think this has taken a chunk out of that.”

“I would say it’s like what you don’t want is that version of Mike Vrabel walking around for the next six weeks until summer. You want to find a way to get the full Mike Vrabel back,” Breer added.

Vrabel Seen Having Tense Dinner With Wife Jen In Late April 2026

If Vrabel’s wife, Jen, has thoughts on her partner being snapped getting cozy with another woman, she hasn’t shared them publicly yet. However, Page Six reported that the pair had a tense dinner at a restaurant in Utah over the weekend. It’s unclear what the couple spoke about, but sources say they were there for about an hour and a half. Before that, Vrabel was seen shopping around the Salt Lake City International Airport, presumably for a gift for his spouse.

The Drake Maye Accused Of Being A ‘Performative Christian’ After Voicing Support For Mike Vrabel first appeared on The Blast

Mike Vrabel’s relationship with Dianna Russini is a national story, but Mike Felger believes Boston’s media could do a better job of getting answers.

Felger joined this week’s episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast, where he discussed a variety of topics, including Bill Belichick’s changing legacy, The Sports Hub vs. WEEI, and Mike Vrabel. And while Felger has maintained Vrabel’s alleged relationship was a big story in Boston from day one, not every local outlet has covered it with the same persistence.

Boston reporters have had limited opportunities to speak with Vrabel in recent weeks. But have outlets made the most of those opportunities? Has the local media in Boston done a good job of trying to get answers from Vrabel about his alleged relationship with a national NFL insider who has since resigned from The Athletic?

“No,” Felger answered without hesitation. “And I don’t blame the Patriots reporters, because that is a tough spot if you’re a beat guy that covers that team. You gotta go down there =and face the coach every day, and you’ve got to talk to the players and the coaches every day. So, if the beat guy himself doesn’t want to be that guy to say, ‘Hey Mike, how about that extramarital affair?’ I get that. What has disappointed me is the outlets. If a newspaper doesn’t want their Patriots reporter to go down there and ask the questions, I get it. You want to protect the beat guy to maintain that relationship. Then send somebody else! Send somebody from the lifestyle section, send somebody from the news section.”

Felger used the example that if this story were happening in New York, it wouldn’t be Paul Schwartz or Brian Costello doing the digging for the New York Post; it would be a reporter from Page Six. But the Boston Herald and Boston Globe are without a Page Six equivalent.

For 19 years, Felger covered the Patriots for the Boston Herald before launching his radio career, and he admits he wouldn’t be the one asking Vrabel questions about his relationship with Russini. But when he was at the Herald, they had gossip columnists who would have more likely been sent to ask those questions.

“The outlets don’t even have the guy or the girl or the columnist or the reporter anymore to go cover it. And that’s what disappoints me the most. Do you want to sell the newspaper? Do you want people to watch the news? These outlets and these mediums are struggling, do you want to sell the newspaper or not? I sort of wonder if they even want to sell it anymore, because it doesn’t feel that way a lot of times.”

While Vrabel’s media availability has been limited in recent weeks, Felger noted that outlets have had enough notice to send a reporter to ask questions if they wanted the story. But he’s not sure whether traditional Boston media outlets are interested in chasing stories and headlines anymore.

“It’s predictable,” Felger said. “It’s kind of sad, and I don’t know if it speaks to Boston as a market that we’re a little soft, maybe. But I think it speaks to more of the de-staffing of local traditional media outlets…it’s also just not the mindset…I don’t know if these places have the same mentality. I think they’re just hanging on for dear life and have sort of dropped the thing about getting the story. And that’s sad. That’s sad to me as someone who values and still deals in traditional media.”

Listen to the full episode of the Awful Announcing Podcast featuring Mike Felger by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. For more content, subscribe to AA’s YouTube page.

The post Mike Felger disappointed in Boston’s coverage of Mike Vrabel: ‘We’re a little soft’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Now that the NFL Draft concluded, teams have begun their offseason workout programs. They will soon move into OTAs, minicamps, and training camp for the 2026 season.

However, some teams face unusual turmoil that raises questions about their immediate future. The New England Patriots sit at the center of a major controversy involving head coach Mike Vrabel.

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Vrabel drew intense scrutiny from media, fans, and peers following reports of an alleged affair with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini. New details or claims about the situation seem to emerge daily.

The situation escalated to the point that Vrabel held multiple press conferences to address it. He even missed the third day of the draft to handle the matter privately with his family.

Speculation continues to grow that Vrabel could be forced to resign if more damaging information surfaces. As a result, several potential replacements have already emerged as early favorites should that scenario unfold.

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Current markets still list Vrabel as the most likely Week 1 head coach for the Patriots. However, three candidates stand out as leading alternatives if he is no longer in the role by September.

Josh McDaniels

Josh McDaniels represents the most likely outcome in this worst-case scenario. He brings prior head coaching experience and has spent much of his career with the Patriots organization.

If Vrabel resigns, McDaniels offers the most logical transition. The team could promote him internally as an interim option, likely as a short-term solution.

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McDaniels has consistently excelled as an offensive coordinator. In addition to coaching Tom Brady, he maximized production from quarterbacks like Mac Jones and Drake Maye in New England.

Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin remains one of the most prominent names linked to any head coaching vacancy. After stepping down from the Pittsburgh Steelers, he indicated he would only return under ideal circumstances.

The Patriots could present such an opportunity. The roster features a strong defense, a young franchise quarterback, and one of the league’s most desirable coaching positions.

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Tomlin may not plan to return to coaching until 2027 at the earliest. Still, a situation like this could accelerate his timeline and potentially delay any move into television.

Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott brings extensive experience within the AFC East and a proven track record of success. His hiring would add intrigue to matchups against the Buffalo Bills.

Beyond the storyline, McDermott rebuilt the Bills into a consistent contender. Organizational decisions ultimately led to his departure, but his coaching résumé remains strong.

While this scenario appears less likely than the others, the situation remains fluid. If additional developments emerge surrounding Vrabel, more unexpected outcomes could come into play.