Once reports revealed that head coach Mike Vrabel had begun counselling amid his controversy with NFL reporter Dianna Russini, the New England Patriots publicly backed their coach and commended him to “prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being.” However, recent developments indicate that support hasn’t stopped Robert Kraft from quietly evaluating potential replacements should the situation go sideways. And notably, Mike Tomlin has now been linked as a possible suitor.

“The Krafts are extremely loyal and have no intention of firing Mike, nor do they want to see him quit over all this drama,” a source told the Daily Mail. “But if these upcoming few months go haywire, and if they are put in a situation of no return, either with the team not doing well or the drama of Mike’s family issues taking over and forcing a decision on Mike’s coaching future, the one person that they would seek to replace him would be Mike Tomlin.”

The 2026 NFL draft is just over, and the 2026 season is still more than four months away. Still, given Vrabel’s ongoing situation, including the Russini angle, it may be too early to dismiss the possibility that this controversy could affect the Patriots’ performance with him as head coach.

At the same time, while the Patriots are publicly backing Vrabel, the situation itself remains unsettled, and there is no clear timeline for how long this will continue. That uncertainty is exactly where the speculation around a potential replacement begins. And at this point, Tomlin stands out as one of the limited contenders if things take a turn.

Of course, Tomlin’s postseason record of 8-12 raises its own questions, but the veteran coach also carries a 193-114-2 regular season record with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has never had a losing season across nearly two decades as their head coach. So if the situation involving Vrabel and Russini escalates further, a pivot toward Tomlin is not entirely off the table.

Still, nothing is concrete at this stage. After all, the former Steelers head coach stepped down following the team’s wild-card loss to the Houston Texans this January. Over the next three months, Tomlin stayed away from media and podcast appearances, reportedly making it clear that he does not plan to return to coaching in 2026.

More recently, the veteran coach has shifted away from the sidelines, joining NBC’s Football Night in America after the Steelers’ exit. That adds another layer to the situation, because even if Tomlin is viewed as a candidate, his willingness to leave his current role remains uncertain. If he chooses not to return, the Patriots would have to explore other options.

And according to the same Daily Mail report, New England could also consider offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as a fallback. The key detail, though, is that replacing Vrabel is not something the Patriots want to entertain right now, but rather a scenario they could be forced into if things escalate.

“But that is a situation that they don’t even want to consider after initial thoughts,” the insider added. “The Krafts will ride it out with Mike Vrbael till the wheels fall off. They are very much interested in putting all of this in the rearview.”

That said, on the surface, Vrabel has the Patriots’ backing. Behind the scenes, though, his future will ultimately hinge on how the situation unfolds from here.

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini’s situation escalated

The controversy involving Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini surfaced on April 7, when Page Six released photos of the two together at an Arizona resort. They were reportedly seen having breakfast on a hotel patio before later spending time by the pool, just ahead of the annual league meetings in Phoenix.

At the time, both denied the allegations, with Russini eventually stepping away from The Athletic and Vrabel returning to his duties with the Patriots. However, only hours after addressing the media for the first time since the controversy and acknowledging he had taken leave to seek counselling, Page Six published another report.

“Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were ‘all over each other’ at a secluded bar in New York City — six years before they were caught holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort,” the report said last week.

At that point, Vrabel was still serving as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was working with ESPN. The two were reportedly seen together at the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020. They were described as being in close proximity while talking at the bar, with one moment appearing to involve a kiss, according to the report.

“They were kissing, and they were all over each other,” an eyewitness told Page Six.” He had a ring on.”

Since then, the NFL has reportedly indicated that it will not pursue an investigation into Vrabel under its personal conduct policy, according to Dennis Young of Front Office Sports. Russini, meanwhile, per a report from the Daily Mail, has been left “shellshocked” and is focused on protecting her children amid the situation.