Sports
Patriots captains offer little insight on Mike Vrabel's speech to team
Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) against the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images New England Patriots captains Hunter Henry and Robert Spillane are pleased with the energy Mike Vrabel has brought to the team this week, but didn’t offer opinions about the coach’s highly-discussed off-the-field issues.
Vrabel skipped Saturday’s third and final day of the NFL draft for a counseling session and returned to the team Monday as the Patriots continue their voluntary offseason workouts.
Vrabel addressed the team on April 21 and Tuesday marked the first time since the speech that players were available to the media.
Henry and Spillane both said Vrabel spoke about the situation involving former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini. The two were photographed together last month at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Ariz., holding hands, hugging and sharing a hot tub. Both are married to other people.
“I thought he did a great job,” Henry said of Vrabel’s talk to the team. “It’s been the same Vrabes, bringing a lot of energy in the room. Obviously, he addressed it and that’s kind of all I’ll say about it.”
Henry, a tight end, is entering his sixth season with the Patriots and 10th overall. Spillane, a linebacker, has long revered Vrabel, dating back to when he was an undrafted free agent in 2018 and competing for a spot on the Tennessee Titans’ roster with Vrabel as coach.
Now entering his ninth NFL season, Spillane said he hasn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.
“Coach coaches football. He keeps the main thing, the main thing,” Spillane said. “I know he’s dealing with personal issues, but when we’re in the building, we speak football. … I love Coach and I’m going to be here to support him as he would be there to support me through anything. I’m just a player and trying to do that the best I can.”
Though the controversial situation has played out publicly, both players said returning to the Super Bowl is a bigger talking point in the locker room. New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks 29-13 in Super Bowl LX in February.
“Obviously I know you guys want to hear about everything that’s going on,” said Henry, who had a career-high 768 yards to go with 60 receptions and seven touchdown catches in 2025. “To be honest with you, I’m focused on what we got going on right now in this building, with this team.
“Had a long season last year, quick turnaround into the offseason, we’re in a new building. And every year is a new year. We’re trying to build this team, we’re trying to come together, so I’m just focused on the guys in this locker room, and trying to build it from the ground up again. We have a long journey ahead of us; we have to start somewhere, so we’re starting right now.”
Spillane expressed that expectations will be higher and that the Patriots will have a target on their backs.
“It’s going to be a brand-new team,” said Spillane, who had 97 tackles and two interceptions last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. “It’s a chance for us to come together, to get to know our teammates, to learn and connect with each other, and really grow with our craft. And that’s what we’re really focused on.”
Vrabel was named NFL Coach of the Year last season in his first campaign with the Patriots. He took a team that went 4-13 in 2024 and guided them to a 14-3 record. New England beat the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game to reach the Super Bowl.
Vrabel and Russini were spotted together prior to the NFL league meetings that began March 29 in Phoenix. Sedona is approximately two hours north of Phoenix.
When the situation first came to light publicly, Vrabel said, “those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
The Athletic and Russini parted ways days later.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Evander's hat trick, late PK winner give Cincinnati win over Chicago
May 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire FC defender Jonathan Dean (24) and FC Cincinnati forward Bryan Ramirez (29) battle for control of the ball during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images Evander converted a penalty kick seven minutes into second-half stoppage time to secure a hat trick and lift FC Cincinnati to a 3-2 road win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Evander collected a brace in the first half and then added his third goal for the late winner. A yellow card was issued to Chicago’s Dje D’Avilla for a foul in the box on Pavel Bucha, leading to the deciding penalty kick.
The winning goal came six minutes after Chicago striker Hugo Cuypers missed his own chance to complete a hat trick with a penalty-kick strike. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano (eight saves) made a huge save to deny Cuypers and preserve the 2-2 score.
FC Cincinnati (4-4-3, 15 points) won despite playing with only 10 men for most of the second half. Defender Kyle Smith was issued a straight red card in the 56th minute for an accidental kick to the face of the Fire’s Robin Lod.
Cincinnati is unbeaten in its last five (2-0-3) matches, including a 3-3 draw with the Fire two weeks prior.
The victory was Cincinnati’s first win in six road matches this season (1-3-2). FC Cincinnati are 5-0-1 in their last six trips to Chicago.
The Fire (5-3-2, 17 points) have held leads in all three of their losses this season. Saturday’s defeat ended a five-match (4-0-1) unbeaten streak for the home side.
After going scoreless in his first six regular-season matches, Evander now has five goals in his last four matches.
Cuypers has 10 goals in seven league matches this season, scoring at least once in every appearance. Cuypers’ three straight matches with multiple goals ties the second-longest brace streak in MLS history.
The forward started early Saturday, as Cuypers converted a shot that deflected off Smith and into the net in the 16th minute.
Shaky defending also aided in Evander’s equalizer in the 24th minute. During a scramble in front of the Fire’s net, Chicago center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi made a poor touch on a clearance attempt that put the ball right at Evander’s feet for the finish.
Cuypers completed the brace four minutes later, but Evander provided another quick response in the 31st minute.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Canes keep rolling, blank Flyers to open semifinal series
May 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) is congratulated by left wing Taylor Hall (71) and right wing Jackson Blake (53) after his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images Logan Stankoven scored twice and goaltender Frederik Andersen collected his second shutout of this year’s playoffs as the host Carolina Hurricanes opened their playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 3-0 victory on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.
Jackson Blake scored once and added an assist for the Hurricanes, who followed a first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a decisive victory to kick off the Eastern Conference best-of-seven semifinal series.
Andersen made 18 saves for his seventh career playoff shutout.
Mike Reilly collected a pair of assists.
Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers, who will attempt to regroup when the series resumes Monday in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes, who finished atop the Eastern Conference standings in the regular season, are yet to trail in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and continued that trend thanks to their hottest player.
Stankoven tallied for the fifth consecutive game to open the scoring only 91 seconds into the clash. Reilly fired a point shot that Stankoven deflected into the net. Stankoven, 23, is the youngest player in history to score goals in five consecutive games to open the playoffs.
Stankoven has scored first in four of Carolina’s five playoff outings.
Blake doubled the lead six minutes later with a highlight-reel worthy tally. He zipped around the defenders before tucking home the puck for his second tally of the playoffs.
The Flyers had managed only one shot on goal at the point.
Stankoven gave the Hurricanes a three-goal edge late in the second period. After a turnover, Seth Jarvis fed a pass to Stankoven in the slot and he immediately buried the chance with 3:44 remaining in the middle frame.
From there, the Hurricanes cruised to victory, amidst a string of message-sending infractions by the Flyers and retaliatory actions from Carolina’s skaters.
After a handful of players were sent to the dressing room with misconducts just past the midway point of the final frame, things quieted.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mariners place INF Will Wilson (thumb) on 10-day injured list
Apr 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman Will Wilson (7) reacts after hitting a two home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images The Seattle Mariners placed infielder Will Wilson on the 10-day injured list on Saturday because of a fractured left thumb.
The move was retroactive to Thursday. In a corresponding move, the Mariners recalled catcher Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma.
Wilson, 27, played in two games and hit .200 (1-for-5) with a home run in his first at-bat for the Mariners in an 11-9 win on April 25 against the host St. Louis Cardinals. He may have been injured on Wednesday when he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout in his second game this season, a 5-3 road victory over the Minnesota Twins.
The Los Angeles Angels selected Wilson in the first round (15th overall) of the 2019 MLB Draft out of North Carolina State.
Wilson, a second and third baseman, made his major league debut in 2025 with the Cleveland Guardians and batted .192 (15-for-78) with two RBIs and four doubles in 34 games. He signed as a free agent with Seattle in January.
Pereda, 30, has a career batting average of .241 with eight RBIs in 48 games with the Miami Marlins (2024), Athletics (2025) and Minnesota Twins (2025).
In other moves on Saturday, Seattle optioned left-hander Josh Simpson, 28, to Tacoma and selected right-hander Nick Davila, 27, from Double-A Arkansas.
–Field Level Media
Evander's hat trick, late PK winner give Cincinnati win over Chicago
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