Shortly before the 2026 NFL Draft began on Thursday night, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg interviewed NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. And in a bit of a surprise, Greenberg asked Goodell about the apparent affair between New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini, though Greenberg did not name Russini.
“I’m going to ask you about the situation with Mike Vrabel and the Patriots,” Greenberg told Goodell. “He has announced that he will not be with the team on Saturday. He’ll be instead with his family and plans to seek counseling. The league has suggested that this is not a violation of the personal conduct policy. I want to make sure that I’m getting that exactly right. As of this point, based on what you know right now, this does not feel like a situation for the league to become involved in?”
“No, this is not a personal conduct policy, as we know it today,” Goodell said. “It’s a personal matter, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Mike Greenberg asked Roger Goodell about Mike Vrabel ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft on ESPN.
“This is not a personal conduct policy… It’s a personal matter, and we’ll leave it at that… I think the teams handle these matters when they’re personal matters…” pic.twitter.com/HOscdhTbp6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 23, 2026
“Is that the kind of thing that typically you would talk with a team about?” Greenberg asked. “The Patriots seem to be handling that. I think a lot of fans would be wondering what, if any role, the NFL would have with something like that.”
“I think the teams handle these matters when they’re personal matters,” Goodell explained. “And they have a lot more information that can benefit everyone involved.”
Photographs emerged on April 7 of Russini and Vrabel hugging, holding hands, and lounging next to each other poolside recently at the adults-only Ambiente hotel in Sedona, AZ. And on Thursday, the New York Post published photos of Russini and Vrabel kissing at a bar in 2020, while Vrabel was head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Russini was an NFL insider for The Athletic going back to 2023, after nearly a decade at ESPN, before resigning amid an internal investigation to her claims about the relationship with Vrabel.
Vrabel announced on Wednesday night that he will not be at day three of the draft for the Patriots because he’s “seeking counseling.” And less than an hour before the first round of the draft on Thursday night, Vrabel delivered a seven-minute press conference about the situation.
“I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people I care most about: my family, this football team, the organization, and our fans,” Vrabel said in his opening statement. “My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to. They don’t. And what I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team, is for us to take the necessary steps to work together and to give them what I told them I’d give them, which is the best version of me. And that’s what we’re going to do. And that’s going to start. That has started. That’ll continue this weekend, and it’ll continue for however long it takes for me to give them, and to complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible. And that’s what’s going to happen and that’s what’s been happening.”
While Goodell gave predictable answers to the questions, kudos to Greenberg for asking them. Even on draft day, it’s been the biggest story in the NFL world.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.