The NFL is watching. It just is not stepping in.
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Commissioner Roger Goodell made that clear Thursday, addressing the ongoing situation involving Mike Vrabel and former reporter Dianna Russini.
Speaking with ESPN ahead of the draft, Goodell said the league has no plans to investigate at this time.
Photo credit: Getty images
"This is not a personal conduct policy issue as we know of today," he said, via Awful Announcing. "It's a personal matter."
The story itself has not slowed down. Photos published this month show Vrabel and Russini together at multiple locations over the years, including a New York bar in 2020 where they appeared to be kissing.
Both are married. The optics have driven the conversation.
Getty Images
Vrabel has since said he will enter counseling and plans to step away from the team for Day 3 of the draft. The New England Patriots have publicly backed their coach, saying they respect the steps he is taking.
Goodell, meanwhile, is content letting the team handle it internally.
"I think the teams handle these matters," he said. "They have a lot more information."
Mike Greenberg asked Roger Goodell about Mike Vrabel ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft on ESPN.
"This is not a personal conduct policy... It's a personal matter, and we'll leave it at that... I think the teams handle these matters when they're personal matters..." pic.twitter.com/HOscdhTbp6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 23, 2026
That tracks with how the league often approaches situations that fall outside its formal policies.
Still, the timing is tough. Draft week. National spotlight. Questions everywhere.
Vrabel said his focus is on family. Russini has stayed quiet since announcing her resignation.
And the NFL? Hands off. At least for now.
