Mike Vrabel may need to keep his proverbial head on a swivel on Thursday night.
As Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer relayed on Tuesday afternoon, “there hasn’t been any league-wide edict on what’s acceptable and what isn’t,” as social media teams across the NFL get set to release their clubs’ full 17-game schedule. As has become tradition, teams—most notably the Chargers—have taken their share of potshots at others around the league amid controversy. Some examples from Los Angeles include digs at Harrison Butker and Deshaun Watson, while the Colts poked fun at former Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s traffic stop arrest last offseason.
This all brings us to the current scandal at the forefront the NFL: Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini.
According to Front Office Sports’ Mike McCarthy, the NFL will not be reviewing teams’ videos for jokes surrounding the pair, whose alleged relationship has been quite the topic of discussion since photos of them together in Arizona ahead of the league’s annual owners’ meetings were leaked last month.
“Clubs will continue to control the content of their memes and videos from start to finish,” McCarthy wrote. “The young, aggressive, social media wags at all 32 clubs will be free to mock Vrabel and the Patriots if they wish.”
He added that the only subjects the league messages teams about are labor, collective bargaining and referees. We’ll wait and see if New England’s coach ultimately ends up on the wrong end of a quip or two on Thursday night.
Mike Vrabel returns to Patriots, has “been the same” amid scandal
Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, initially denied any wrongdoing after the New York Post published picturesof them spending time together at the Ambiente resort in Sedona, Ariz. Since then, however, The Athletic opened an investigation into Russini’s conduct, which led to her resignation from the outlet. Vrabel, meanwhile, admitted to having “difficult conversations” with the people he cares about and missed Day 3 of the draft to attend counseling with his wife, Jen.
“We believe in order to be successful on and off the field that we have to make good decisions,” Vrabel said last month. “That includes me, that starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of a distraction.”
MORE: What Mike Vrabel Said About Dianna Russini Scandal, Taking Leave During NFL Draft
The Patriots head coach has since returned to the team’s Foxborough, Mass., facility, and according to his players, has been “the same Vrabes.”
“Coach coaches football, and he keeps the main thing the main thing,” said New England captain and linebacker Robert Spillane. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football … I love Coach, and I’m going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything.”
Vrabel was front and center at the Patriots’ rookie minicamp last Saturday as their draft class, UDFAs and tryout players took part in a three-day practice marathon, and looked to be his same old self on the field. New England is amid their voluntary OTA program as they attempt to build towards a Super Bowl return in 2026.
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