Mike Vrabel has admitted to ‘difficult conversations’ with people close to him.The New England Patriots head coach has found himself at the center of a storm in recent weeks, after being photographed with The Athletic’s NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort.Vrabel has addressed his saga with NFL reporter Russini for the first timeGettyImages, which went viral, showed the two holding hands, embracing and sitting in a pool and a hot tub.Both are married to other people, and initially released statements to the New York Post downplaying the photos.In a significant twist Russini later resigned from The Athletic on April 14, and as the Patriots enter the spotlight again in NFL Draft week, Vrabel has now spoken about the saga for the first time.Mike Vrabel breaks silence on viral Dianna Russini photos“Thank you for your patience that you’ve shown in a personal and private matter for me and obviously everybody involved,” Vrabel told reporters at a press conference Tuesday.“I know that that’s not easy for you and I respect that and I appreciate your efforts in doing so.“I understand I could have addressed you guys sooner, but it was important to me to have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday very candidly as we began our off season program, which everyone is excited to be a part of.“It was never my intention to have them speak to you, or address you before I did. And so I asked them to come today and talk with you.“I also don’t want to take away from the weekend of the draft. This is an important time for us, our organization, and the excitement and the joy that those players are gonna have that we bring onto our football team.“They’re starting an amazing journey, one that should be celebrated as we welcome them onto our team.“With that being said, I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about, with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players, those have been positive and productive.Russini resigned from her role with The Athletic earlier this monthGetty“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.“And those are comments and questions that I’ve answered for the team and with the team, we’ll keep those private and to ourselves.“I care deeply about this football team, and I’m excited to coach them. I also know that I’m gonna attack each day with humility and focus.“What I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward.“That’s what I know, and I’m excited to do that. I wanted to just address this and thank you for your patience in dealing with the private and personal matter.”Vrabel, who is reportedly not under review by the NFL, delivered his remarks in a monologue that lasted more than two minutes, and he did not take any questions.What did Dianna Russini say in her statement?His statement follows Russini’s decision to step away from her role as The Athletic’s senior NFL insider, a position she had held since 2023.“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini wrote, in a statement shared earlier this month.“When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful.“In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.Russini had held The Athletic’s senior NFL insider role since 2023Getty“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.“Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now – before my current contract expires on June 30.“I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.