'We're Here for Coach': Drake Maye Rallies Behind Embattled Mike Vrabel

Story by

Tim Ryan

Thu, April 30, 2026 at 12:49 PM UTC ·

3 min read

If NFL fans had been wondering where New England Patriots star quarterback Drake Maye stood in regard to the ongoing affair allegations against his head coach, Mike Vrabel, wonder no more.

Ever since the New York Post dropped photos of Vrabel in a jacuzzi with NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an exclusive luxury hotel in Sedona on April 7, the situation has quickly snowballed with no end in sight, leading to Russini's resignation from The Athletic and an endless pile of other rumors about their relationship.

So, on Wednesday night, in what amounted to much more than just a brief, vague sound bite, Maye bluntly addressed Vrabel's circumstances, essentially speaking on behalf of the Patriots' locker room and exactly where they stand.

Drake Maye's Full Quote on Mike Vrabel's Affair Controversy and What it Means For the Patriots

For Maye, speaking out on Vrabel sooner than later made sense for several reasons, but mostly because remaining silent would have only increased the already blaring volume.

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel speaking during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Here's what the 23-year-old quarterback had to say :

"We're here for coach," Maye said. "We love coach, what he does for us, what he's done for us this past year, you can't speak into words. Just thankful he's our head coach. I know he's dealing with some stuff off the field and out of the coaching world, but we're here for him. And I know he's gonna come back."

The quote from Maye more or less hit all the key notes in the sense of addressing the team's stance, acknowledging Vrabel's "stuff off the field," and probably of most significance, stating "I know he's gonna come back."

Given that some of the rumors swirling around the Vrabel-Russini situation has been people calling for his job, with many even betting on it , the future of the franchise dropping a quote like this delivers some serious weight in the corner of Vrabel.

Maye's strong backing of his head coach comes on the heels of Vrabel receiving a standing ovation during a Q&A with Patriots season ticket holders on Tuesday night.

Yes, momentum appears to be leaning quite heavily in Vrabel's favor. For now.

However, should the drama-fueled story somehow manage to see yet another round of chaos that clouds the summer, with the likely combination of the New York Post and TMZ publishing further daggers, Patriots ownership reportedly already has a backup replacement plan in place , and his name is Mike Tomlin.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.