A lot of interpretations have been made about the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini controversy that first came to light in April. After the photos of the two were leaked, Russini stepped down from her position at The Athletic, and Vrabel got busy with the New England Patriots. Regardless. Russini has not spoken about the topic since the controversy became public, while Vrabel has said a few things, crisis expert Molly McPherson believes the Patriots coach has not done a good job taking accountability for what happened.

“Accountability that only activates when you get caught isn’t accountability. And Mike Vrabel hasn’t taken any accountability,” said Molly McPherson to USA Today. “He’s only spoken publicly about what he’s doing privately as a person.”

Earlier in April, The New York Post’s Page Six published pictures of Vrabel and Russini spending time together at a luxury resort in Arizona. It was just before the league’s annual meeting. Following that incident, the first thing that Vrabel said was that it was “laughable.” However, more reports came out of the two being spotted together.

Vrabel and Russini’s interactions dated back to March 2020. Pictures of them on a boat trip in Tennessee and spending time together in a Las Vegas Casino; everything resurfaced on the internet.

According to McPherson, the Patriots’ HC has spoken about everything, starting with his personal life, family, players, franchises, and coaches, but keeps himself aloof from the Russini case.

“Vrabel is running, in my opinion, a staged rehabilitation, albeit somewhat clumsily,” McPherson told USA TODAY Sports. “Everything he’s doing is sequenced to move from that initial denial in the beginning to where we are now.”

While Russini has been pinned down, McPherson believes that Vrabel hasn’t taken any accountability. According to her, he should sit down with media outlets and have an open conversation about the leaked images to bring the truth out. Since he has not done that, the controversy is still ongoing.

While this has been one of the biggest stories of the offseason, Vrabel has been accused of another controversial incident by a radio host.

Howard Eskin calls out Mike Vrabel for tampering with the A.J. Brown trade

The Patriots were able to complete a trade that got them a Super Bowl-winning wide receiver in A.J. Brown. However, in what has been the story of the summer, the Patriots got involved in another controversy surrounding the trade. Broadcaster and journalist Howard Eskin has pointed fingers at him for alleged tampering with the A.J. Brown trade with the  Philadelphia Eagles.

“Mike Vrabel really, and the NFL doesn’t want to look at tampering, but he obviously tampered,” said Howard Eskin on the June 6 edition of The Howard Eskin Show with Crissy Froyd.

The A.J. Brown trade was considered a blockbuster trade. For months, there were speculations of the wide receiver going to the Patriots. But finally, when it happened, it was not without controversy. Eskin allegedly blamed Vrabel for tampering because he was the one who drafted Brown in 2019, when he was the Tennessee Titans‘ head coach. The WR played three seasons under him and developed a strong relationship with him.

While there are questions around the trade, there has been no investigation that suggests any kind of tampering. As of now, Eskin’s words are nothing more than allegations. But if an investigation were to happen and the NFL found that the trade was tampered with, then not only Vrabel, but the New England Patriots would also have to pay fines and lose draft picks.