Drake Maye says he and the rest of the New England Patriots are standing ten toes behind head coach Mike Vrabel. The unwavering loyalty, however, is being questioned by some NFL fans who are accusing the quarterback of supporting things they say are in direct conflict with the Bible.
The unexpected backlash directed towards Maye comes weeks after Mike Vrabel made headlines after being spotted with former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort. Since then, additional information has come to light, showing Russini and Vrabel had a years-long connection long before anyone knew about it.
Drake Maye Facing Backlash After Showing Unwavering Support To New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel
With eyes shifting toward the upcoming NFL season, reporter Jonanthan Hall asked Maye for his thoughts on the recent drama surrounding Vrabel and the rest of his family. “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.”
Maye went on to praise Vrabel, an Ohio State alum and 3x Super Bowl champion, and revealed how “thankful” he and the rest of the team were to have him in their corner. “I 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 gonna come back,” Maye added.
Maye’s support, though, has drawn some criticism, as some social media users questioned why the 23-year-old was offering support to Vrabel, who, based on released footage, appeared to be involved in unethical behavior.
“Sad choice there, young man,” someone wrote. “You’re being a performative Christian, not a real one.” The user then added a Bible verse, Exodus 20:14, which reads, “You shall not commit adultery.”
Another user posted, “All these fake religious players turning a blind eye to this scandal, lmao.”
A third wrote, “This is just so shocking. One white Christian male taking up for another white ‘Christian’ male. Cognitive dissonance Drake.”
Mikle Vrabel Breaks Silence After Being Spotted Getting Cozy With A New York Times Reporter
The attention has been on Vrabel for weeks now, according to The Blast. Photos of him with Russini—a longtime NFL reporter—were shared online, sparking a frenzy on social media and in the real world.
The pictures were taken at a fancy resort in Arizona and showed the pair lying by the pool, as well as others showing them embracing with a big hug.
Initially, Vrabel called the speculation about his apparent relationship with Russini “laughable”; however, things took a serious turn when Russini stepped down from The New York Times.
Vrabel changed his tune about the situation days later. While speaking to the media, he admitted to having “difficult conversations” with people close to him before revealing he’d begin taking steps to become a better coach and family man.
Mike Vrabel Did Not Receive Any Punishment From The NFL After Spending Personal Time With Russini
While Russini moved on from her role with the NYT, Vrabel will continue as the head coach of the New England Patriots. According to The Blast, the NFL said it would not investigate whether Vrabel violated conduct policy, which requires all NFL personnel to be free of “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the league.
Shortly after that announcement, Vrabel announced he would miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to attend counseling. While he didn’t say who he was attending counseling with, many assumed it was with his wife, Jen.
“I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about. My family, this football team, the organization and the fans,” Vrabel said. “My priorities are my family and this football and in that order.”
Vrabel Said To Be Down About The Situation
Since speaking before the draft, Vrabel has kept his comments about the scandal minimal. Sports broadcaster Albert Beer said that he noticed a change in Vrabel since the scandal became front-page news, per The Blast.
“I can just tell you factually he has not been the same the last two weeks in that building,” Breer said. “The sense I’ve gotten talking to people is that bravado and everything else, I think this has taken a chunk out of that.”
“I would say it’s like what you don’t want is that version of Mike Vrabel walking around for the next six weeks until summer. You want to find a way to get the full Mike Vrabel back,” Breer added.
Vrabel Seen Having Tense Dinner With Wife Jen In Late April 2026
If Vrabel’s wife, Jen, has thoughts on her partner being snapped getting cozy with another woman, she hasn’t shared them publicly yet. However, Page Six reported that the pair had a tense dinner at a restaurant in Utah over the weekend. It’s unclear what the couple spoke about, but sources say they were there for about an hour and a half. Before that, Vrabel was seen shopping around the Salt Lake City International Airport, presumably for a gift for his spouse.