FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) 鈥� coach Mike Vrabel didn鈥檛 make an appearance at the team鈥檚 pre-draft news conference Monday.
But according to one of the team鈥檚 front-office executives, he is going about his job as usual preparing for next week鈥檚 despite recent scrutiny regarding the nature of his relationship with a reporter.
鈥淰ery involved. Business as usual,鈥� Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said when asked how much Vrabel had been involved with the team’s draft process. 鈥淚鈥檇 say he鈥檚 been in there with us this round probably a little more than he was in there last year. … He鈥檚 been in there. He鈥檚 been contributing. He鈥檚 watched a ton of the players.鈥�
It was the first time a member of the team’s front office has spoken to reporters since the of Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini of The Athletic at an Arizona hotel that have raised questions about the nature of their relationship.
Vrabel spoke with reporters in a news conference setting before last year鈥檚 draft but opted not to on Monday. Though reporters did bump into Vrabel, who briefly greeted them, during a tour of the team鈥檚 new facility after Wolf’s news conference had concluded.
According to the Post, the photos were taken in Arizona two weeks before the start of NFL owners meetings in Phoenix that began on March 29.
Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, released statements to the Post after the publication of the story downplaying what the photos depict.
Russini said they 鈥渄on鈥檛 represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.鈥�
Vrabel told the newspaper: 鈥淭hose photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
The New York Times, which owns The Athletic, Saturday that the digital outlet is investigating the conduct of Russini.
That decision came after the outlet鈥檚 executive editor, Steven Ginsberg, previously told the Post that the photos 鈥渓acked essential context鈥� and lauded her work with The Athletic.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with New England, is preparing for his second season as coach of the Patriots. He coached the team to a 14-3 finish last season, which ended with a Super Bowl loss to Seattle.
The Patriots hold the 31st overall pick in next week鈥檚 draft and 11 picks in total.
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