As Patriots coach Mike Vrabel misses a pretty important day of work due to the controversy that has consumed the NFL for 18 days, there’s a pretty important question to ask about Vrabel’s relationship with owner Robert Kraft.
Was Vrabel honest with Kraft from the beginning?
Either Vrabel didn’t tell Kraft the truth about what happened, or Vrabel did, and the strong public statement about the initial photos of Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini (he called the situation “laughable”) was a calculated (and misguided) public relations effort by the Patriots organization.
Regardless, it’s clear that Kraft is a strong advocate of telling the truth when it comes to landing in a problematic situation.
Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison admitted to using a performance-enhancing substance in 2007. He later explained the message he received from Kraft.
“When I was going through the situation and Mr. Kraft took me aside, he said, ‘Look buddy, I love you. All I want you to do is be completely honest about everything. Don’t lie. be honest“Harrison said at the time. “And that’s what I really tried to do. [Kraft] He says, ‘Hey, face the consequences, but you’ll always come out better when you tell the truth.’ And that’s what I did. That’s the only advice I give any of these athletes. We see what happens when you lie.”
We have seen what has happened since Vrabel first provided this quote to the New York Post: “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is ridiculous. This does not deserve any further response.”
Asked by reporters Thursday to explain the move from calling the situation “laughable” to missing the third day of recruiting to attend therapy, Vrabel said: “That’s a private, personal matter. I don’t think those comments… I think they were an attempt to protect his family. And I would never be dismissive.”
But he was dismissive. The plan to “protect your family” (or perhaps to protect yourself from your family) was to insist that it was nothing, and that anyone who believed otherwise is wrong.
In retrospect, everyone would have been better off if the truth had been told from the beginning. Vrabel and Russini’s denials operated as a Gary Hart-style challenge to prove them wrong.
So, again, what did Vrabel say to Kraft when the photos first surfaced? And how does Kraft feel about it?
Don’t expect any late-night statements to be issued on that point, even if it is the most important long-term ramification of the entire situation.