This offseason, the odds of Mike Vrabel keeping his job with the New England Patriots were at 77% on Kalshi. But as of May 7, the odds have dropped to 64%. With every passing day, Vrabel’s tenure at New England becomes shaky as the controversy surrounding him and former Athletic reporter, Dianna Russini, continues to grow. But star Patriots QB Drake Maye stood firmly behind his coach.

On Wednesday, the Patriots quarterback addressed the situation while attending the Truist Championship Pro-Am in Charlotte, where he teamed up with PGA Tour golfer Gary Woodland. During an interview after the event, Maye strongly backed Vrabel and dismissed the idea that his personal issues would become a distraction for his team.

“No, I don’t,” Maye told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “I mean, he’s our head coach. I think he’s done a great job of talking to us and talking us through it. I’m just looking forward to getting back to work and getting ready. I know he’s got the right mindset, and I know he’s a great human being, like I said, I love playing for him.”

Vrabel played a massive role in the Patriots’ turnaround last season. The head coach led New England to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance, earning AP Coach of the Year honors. Even though the Patriots fell short of lifting the Lombardi Trophy, Vrabel built a culture in his locker room centered on accountability and discipline. He also helped Maye further develop his skills, and the QB threw for 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 2025.

If Maye is one of the hottest names among NFL quarterbacks now, it is because of Vrabel’s leadership. He went from someone who could throw more than 2,000 yards in 2024 to a QB1 who could damage defenses with 4,394 yards on the board. He rightfully earned the title of the Most Improved Player in the league from the Pro Football Writers of America last year. Maye had also expressed his support for Vrabel in the past.

“We’re here for coach,” Maye said. “We love coach, what he does for us, what he’s done for us this past year — you can’t speak into words. Just thankful he’s our head coach, and we know he’s doing some stuff off the field and out of the coaching world, but we’re here for him, and I know he’s going to come back.”

Maye and Vrabel are both at an important juncture in their careers. Having been to the Super Bowl last year, they are once again one of the top contenders for lifting the Lombardi Trophy. But this scandal surrounding his links with Dianna Russini is casting a shadow large enough to dim out those hopes. But the league is choosing to stay out of his personal life and will not investigate the issue.

According to a former Patriot, this locker room will rally behind Mike Vrabel during this dark time.

Mike Vrabel’s former teammate shows belief in Patriots locker room

Former Patriots safety Rodney Harrison played alongside Mike Vrabel in New England from 2003 to 2008.  Harrison is now an NFL analyst, but being on the other side of the sport didn’t stop him from sharing his thoughts on Vrabel’s latest controversy. 

“The one saving grace, no matter what goes on in your life, has always been an NFL locker room,” Harrison said in an interview with MassLive this week. “Those players are going through some of the same things Mike Vrabel is going through with some of the temptations, some of the things that’s out there, things they struggle with. I think they’ll understand, and they’ll forgive Mike. I think it’ll bring the locker room even closer together.

“You still might have a few holes. A few who might be skeptical, ‘Well he said this, he said that’ but the majority in that locker room, they love Mike Vrabel and they respect him. They know he’s a human being, he’s a good person, and he made a mistake. And, they’re going to forgive him.”

Harrison is not wrong. Patriots stars Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane have publicly supported Vrabel and made it clear that outside noise will not define the team’s focus inside the building. 

“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane told ESPN. “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.

New England and Mike Vrabel are hoping for the dust to settle soon. But it is evident that it will take a long, long time for that to happen. Still, one thing feels clear: his players are going to have his back, regardless of what is put out there.

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