New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is in the midst of a year that’ll be hard to forget. With quarterback Drake Maye, he led the Patriots through a dramatic turnaround, earning the 2025 AP NFL Coach of the Year award. Not long after, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl. It was the first time in a long time that the team looked like it did during the Bill Belichick era. But all of these successes were marred by the recent controversy involving Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini. However, the Boston community is willing to look past the scandal. 

On Tuesday, Boston Magazine named Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye as the top “Most Influential Bostonians” in their May 2026 issue.

The recognition comes after the Patriots went back to their winning ways after back-to-back losing seasons raised serious questions about the franchise’s future. Mike Vrabel, in his second season as the Patriots’ head coach, took them to their first Super Bowl since the Tom Brady era. This result deserved such a nod. It was a dominant run through and through, with a strong showing towards the end of the season.

At the same time, Maye’s rapid growth in just his second year in the NFL accelerated the Patriots’ rebuild. In 2024, Maye recorded just 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and ten interceptions while starting 12 games. But during the 2025 season, Maye started all 17 regular-season games, recording 4,394 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. In the 2025 postseason, Maye also recorded 828 yards, 6 touchdowns, and four interceptions, putting himself firmly in the MVP conversation.

From 4-13 in 2024, the Patriots also jumped to 14-3 in 2025. They didn’t win the Super Bowl, but according to Boston Magazine, it gave fans something they “had no right to expect: joy.” 

“That was their gift. And it transcended football. …They showed this city what it looks like to overcome adversity—on the field and off. For a city that needed it, the joy was real. That doesn’t go away,” the publication added.

But the timing of this honor comes at a rather peculiar time. Vrabel’s otherwise quiet offseason was interrupted after a scandal involving him and Diania Russini.

Mike Vrabel is still facing scrutiny over his ties to Russini 

Throughout this month, Mike Vrabel has remained under public spotlight due to the reports of his alleged affair with Russini. The controversy began when the New York Post published photos of Vrabel and Russini holding hands and embracing at a resort in Arizona. Soon after, both Vrabel and Russini, who are married with their own families, issued aligned statements denying any affair speculations. 

But even as Vrabel and Russini pushed back, the optics make it harder to control the narrative. Then, Russini stepped down from her role at The Athletic. Still, the story refused to fade as more photos of Vrabel and Russini surfaced, with some even dating back to 2020. So, ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Vrabel vaguely addressed the issue before a few reporters, but he never mentioned Russini. 

“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” Vrabel told reporters. “Those have been positive and productive. We believe in order to be successful on and off the field, you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me. We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be the cause of a distraction.”

The Patriots head coach also announced that he would not be attending the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft, choosing to prioritize his family and seek counselling. Amid such troubles, Boston Magazine recognizing him as an influential figure brings some relief. Boston Magazine also told Front Office Sports that the decision to rank Vrabel and Maye as No. 1 on their list was made long before this controversy began. As such, this is a rare positive moment for Vrabel in an offseason filled with noise over his off-field issues.