From Denials to Damage Control: Hubris Haunts Vrabel and Russini

The Greeks thought of “hubris” as a character flaw that could bring down the wrath of the Gods. The hubris of believing they could shut down a growing media scandal may be coming back to bite Mike Vrabel, Dianna Russini, and the Patriots, according to crisis PR experts.

On Thursday, Page Six published new photos appearing to show the embattled Patriots coach and former senior NFL insider for The Athletic late at night at a New York City tavern. The new pics were taken six years before Page Six published photos of the duo together at an adults-only resort in Arizona on April 7.

The reigning AP NFL Coach of the Year says he’ll seek “counseling” starting this Saturday. But Vrabel and Russini undercut their own defense by making several key PR mistakes, say crisis managers who’ve dealt with athletes and business titans in similarly fraught public situations.

First, Vrabel was too contemptuous in his denial of the initial story on April 7. The ex-linebacker dismissed it as “laughable” and claimed that it didn’t “deserve any further response.” Russini, meanwhile, insisted that she and Vrabel were at the swanky resort as part of a group of six people. 

Big mistake. The public already decided the pictures were real. Even though they weren’t conclusive, they were risque enough to raise legit questions. By dismissing anybody who believed the story as foolish, Vrabel dared other whistleblowers to come forward, says Mike “The Reputation Doctor” Paul. Either to prove him a liar or to earn money for their own evidence of the couple meeting up at previous dates and times. That could be what happened on Thursday.

“When you lie, you also put a price on your head and give incentives and money to others who have knowledge and evidence of other misdeeds about you,” Paul tells Front Office Sports.

Second, Vrabel and Russini didn’t seem to coordinate their subsequent responses, noted crisis PR strategist Molly McPherson.

Russini posted a fiery resignation letter on April 14, attacking the “feeding frenzy” coverage, while “standing behind every story I have ever published.” But only one week later, a hang-dog Vrabel admitted a “personal and private” matter led to “some difficult conversations” with his family, players, and bosses. To top it off, Vrabel told ESPN he would seek “counseling.” During his non-denial denial, Vrabel never admitted to anything or mentioned Russini. But his somber face and body language seemed to scream “guilty.”

Vrabel was trying to project authenticity while maintaining full deniability, according to McPherson. But the media didn’t buy it. Neither did the public. 

“There’s so many problems with this PR operation from the beginning” she said in a video posted to Instagram. “Russini was indignant in her resignation later. Now Mike Vrabel is saying it’s a ‘private matter.’ They didn’t coordinate. Again.”

Third, the Pats didn’t do their coach any favors by their ham-fisted approach to the media this week. Maybe New England got cocky after surviving Spygate, Deflategate, Aaron Hernandez, and prostitution charges against owner Bob Kraft. But in a few days, the team managed to piss off a typically compliant Patriots media.

It started on Tuesday when the Pats sprang Vrabel on the press corps with only five minutes’ notice to address the elephant in the room. That ensured many beat reporters would be MIA, as would tabloid/entertainment types who would have turned the press conference into a circus. To make matters worse, the Pats agreed to a “side session” between Vrabel and the media. But reporters had to turn off all cameras, including their phones, and refrain from non-football questions. 

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe dubbed it a “sneak attack.” Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk blasted the franchise’s attempt to micro-manage how the press does its job.

“It’s unacceptable. Vrabel is a grown man, 50 years old, entering his eighth season as a head coach. He can answer questions on all relevant subjects. Particularly on the relevant subject he addressed in vague, general terms in his statement,” wrote Florio. “He’s free to decline to answer a question. He’s free to answer it however he wants. But he should be expected to say something. It’s bush league for an organization that craves media attention to try to dictate attention on its own terms. When it happens, reporters should call it out.”

Finally, by their strenuous attempts to kill the story, Vrabel, Russini, and the Patriots might have given it oxygen. Both Vrabel and Russini are married to others with children. Now everybody involved has to worry about the laws of unintended consequences, warns Paul. The NFL, meanwhile, told FOS it isn’t currently planning to investigate the matter.

But who’s to say there aren’t more photos coming? Or an incriminating video? When Vrabel suddenly announced he would enter counseling in the wee hours of Thursday morning, it seemed less like an attempt to get help and more like a PR stunt to get in front of the New York Post’s latest bombshell. And we still haven’t heard publicly from either spouse.

It’s a common mistake by celebrities to believe they can “spin” or manage their way out of any situation. Too late, they discover the story is managing them. In today’s digital world, where everybody with an iPhone can be a paparazzi, the truth usually bubbles to the top, says Paul.

“Expect more evidence, not less, to come out,” he predicts. “Public people face public accountability…In my professional opinion, hubris got in the way.”