For the first time since pictures of him with Dianna Russini, The Athletic's former NFL insider, surfaced, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel met with reporters.
"I've had some difficult conversations with people I care about about − with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players," Vrabel said as part of an opening statement on April 21, a full two weeks after the New York Post published the photos.
"Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. You never want to be the cause of a distraction.
"What I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody − our fans, most importantly − will get the best version of me going forward."
Vrabel thanked local reporters for their patience amid his silence, calling the episode a "personal and private matter."
