Trending Now - Vrabel Back With Patriots as Players Rally Around Him

WHO:

ESPN - New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel returned to work.

ESPN - Veteran tight end Hunter Henry and linebacker Robert Spillane are team captains.

ABC News - Mike Reiss is an ESPN reporter covering the story.

WHAT:

ESPN - Vrabel missed the third and final day of the NFL draft.

ESPN - The Patriots made six of their nine selections during the draft.

ESPN - Vrabel acknowledged that "my previous actions don't meet the standard I hold myself to."

ESPN - Spillane stated, "Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing."

ESPN - Spillane mentioned the team went 17-4 last season, including playoffs.

WHERE:

ESPN - The events took place in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

WHEN:

ESPN - Vrabel committed to seek counseling prior to missing the final day of the draft.

ESPN - The Patriots are in the second week of their voluntary offseason program.

WHY:

ESPN - Vrabel's absence was due to personal issues and a commitment to seek counseling.

HOW:

ESPN - The Patriots operated "business as usual" during the draft without contact with Vrabel.

(UPDATED April 29, 2026 04:14 UTC)

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has returned to work after missing the final day of the NFL draft due to personal issues and a commitment to seek counseling. Veteran tight end Hunter Henry and linebacker Robert Spillane have been named team captains, with Spillane noting that the team went 17-4 last season, including playoffs. Despite Vrabel's absence, the Patriots continued their draft operations as usual, making six of their nine selections while he was away.