The New England Patriots are backing head coach Mike Vrabel's decision to forego Day 3 of the NFL draft to enter counseling, they shared in a statement released Thursday.
"The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being," the statement read. "Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
"We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend."
ESPN first reported that Vrabel would miss the third day of the draft for counseling, news that published in the early hours of Thursday morning. The 'New York Post,' which first ran photos of the coach and former NFL insider Dianna Russini holding hands at an exclusive romantic resort, released more photos that appear to show the duo kissing at a bar in 2020.
Vrabel has been married since 1999. Russini, who resigned from her job as a senior NFL reporter for 'The Athletic' earlier this month, was wed in 2020.
The Patriots currently hold eight draft picks for Day 3.
