Mike Vrabel says he takes accountability for distraction, doesn’t address specifics

On Thursday he called his family and the Patriots the most important things in his life and said he was dedicated to taking steps to giving them “the best version of me.” He said he is committed to that process for “however long it takes.”

“And that’s what we’re going to do,” Vrabel said.

Asked about the timing of stepping away from the team on Saturday, Vrabel said it was solely family-related.

“When you prioritize your family first, and your job, that’s what’s required. And that’s what was necessary,” he said.

Vrabel said he was unsure if this would be the last time he planned to step away from the team.

The photos of Vrabel and Russini were taken in Sedona before the annual NFL meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29, according to the Post. The NFL has said it is not investigating Vrabel’s behavior. Vrabel and Russini are both married. Russini resigned from The Athletic last week.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reiterated in an interview with ESPN that the league is not looking into the situation.

“This is not a personal conduct policy as we know of today,” Goodell said. “It’s a personal matter and we’ll leave it at that.”

Goodell added, “I think the teams handle these matters when they are personal matters. They have a lot more information that can benefit people involved.”

The Patriots said in a statement earlier in the day that they support Vrabel stepping away from the team on Saturday.

“Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment,” the statement said in part. “We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”

Vrabel declared his intension to sit out the final day of the draft in a late-night statement Wednesday.

The Patriots entered the draft holding 11 picks. That includes the Super Bowl runner-up’s one scheduled pick (No. 31) in Thursday’s first round. They have one pick each in rounds 2 and 3 on Friday.

But the bulk of their selections will be on Saturday when Vrabel won’t be in the draft room. That’s when they are scheduled to select twice in the fourth round, once in the fifth, four times in the sixth and once in the seventh round.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press

by The Canadian Press

Mike Vrabel says he takes accountability for distraction, doesn’t address specifics

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