Patriots tight end Hunter Henry and linebacker Robert Spillane both fielded questions about head coach Mike Vrabel’s messaging to the team when they held press conferences from the team’s facility on Tuesday.
Multiple media outlets have posted pictures of Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini interacting in multiple situations away from work over many years over recent weeks and Vrabel was not with the team during the final day of the draft in order to seek counseling and be with his family, but both Henry and Spillane said that the situation has not impacted the team’s focus on work during their offseason program.
“Coach coaches football and he keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane said. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football.”
Henry said he thought Vrabel did “a great job” addressing players about the situation and has been “the same Vrabes” when the team has been in the facility. He also said that “everybody’s focused on the task at hand” as they prepare for the 2026 season.
“Obviously I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on,” Henry said. “To be honest with you, I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building, with this team. Obviously had a long season last year, quick turnaround into the offseason, we’re in a new building. And every year is a new year, so we’re trying to build this team, we’re trying to come together, so I’m just focused on the guys in this locker room, and trying to build it from the ground up again. We have a long journey ahead of us; we have to start somewhere, so we’re starting right now.”
There will be many more opportunities for Patriots players to be asked about Vrabel in the days and weeks to come. The answers will likely be variations on the ones that Henry and Spillane offered on Tuesday as long as no future developments lead to a change in Vrabel’s status at any point this offseason.
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