New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has returned to work at Gillette Stadium on Monday after missing Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, MassLive’s Karen Guregian reports.
While he was in attendance for the first two nights of the draft, Vrabel confirmed at a press conference on Thursday that he would be away for counseling with his family amid the fallout from the controversy involving him and former NFL Insider Dianna Russini.
Eliot Wolf Clears The Air On Mike Vrabel’s Involvement On Saturday
Conflicting reports emerged on Saturday during the NFL Draft, with ESPN’s Peter Schrager sharing that the team was in “constant contact” with Mike Vrabel throughout the day.
However, he later followed that up by revising the initial comments, saying that it was his understand that “Vrabel was going to be in contact with the staff via phone/text, but I’ve learned that in the end, both Vrabel and the team ultimately chose not to interrupt him and his family during Day 3 of the Draft.”
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf confirmed this later when speaking with reporters at the conclusion of the draft.
“So last night, you know, we kind of talked through things and made the decision that, you know, the time away really needs to be time away,” Wolf said. “So we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just ‘hope everything’s going okay’ kind of text early this morning.”
He was then asked about what those conversations were like the night prior.
“Just words of encouragement,” he added. “He knows he knows our process, and again, we talked about what kind of players we needed to add. We knew what kind of players that he liked, and obviously, we drafted some of the guys that he had an affinity for today.
Eliot Wolf Says Things Were ‘Business As Usual’ Without Mike Vrabel
As for how things went without Vrabel, Wolf described it as “business as usual,” adding that “Day 3 of the draft is really the, I would say, scouts’ day.”
“It’s the chance for some of these unheralded players to have the opportunity to get drafted, maybe some of the guys that some of the coaches didn’t even look at,” he added. “So, I just want to want to thank everyone, from top to bottom, of our football organization. It was a really good process all weekend.”
In Vrabel’s absence, the Patriots made six selections, as well as signing many rookie undrafted free agents. The draft picks included cornerback Karon Prunty, tackle Dametrious Crownover, linebacker Namdi Obiazor, quarterback Behren Morton, running back Jam Miller, and edge rusher Quintayvious Hutchins.
Patriots’ Mike Vrabel Resurfaces After Draft Absence