Julian Edelman on Pats avoiding Mike Vrabel distraction: 'We were around murderers'

From Aaron Hernandez to “SpyGate” to “DeflateGate,” Julian Edelman was no stranger to off-field distractions while with the New England Patriots.

The 2026 Patriots, coming off a Super Bowl appearance but navigating the headline-riddled offseason involving head coach Mike Vrabel, find themselves in a somewhat similar place, Edelman said.

The three-time Super Bowl champion’s advice?

“You just worry about what you got on your plate that day,” the Super Bowl 53 MVP said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. “You go out and you manipulate your mind to worry about improving every single day. I mean, we’ve all dealt with distractions, unfortunately, in this profession. We were around murderers and big ‘-gates’ and stuff.”

Vrabel and former NFL reporter Dianna Russini were photographed at an adults-only resort in March, according to images published April 7 by Page Six. Russini ultimately resigned from her job at The Athletic, which ultimately ruled her relationship with Vrabel was inappropriate. Vrabel apologized for being a distraction in April and also said he was going to seek counseling, although he has not said anything about the topic in months.

Edelman isn’t in the Patriots’ locker room, so he doesn’t know this team is blocking out the noise specifically. His Patriots teams of the 2010s deployed an “us against the world” mentality and encouraged the current squad to do the same.

“If you have a mentally tough group of men who can literally focus on ‘what (do) we have to do today to improve?'” said Edelman, who spoke to USA TODAY on behalf of Sam Adams, which is launching a beer named after him. “That’s how you get your results.”

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Top moments from Patriots vs. Seahawks in the NFL season opener

The NFL season kicks off as the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots take the field on opening night.

See moments from the matchup as both teams begin the 2026 season.

Above, Cooper Kupp #10 of the Seattle Seahawks warms up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field on September 09, 2026, in Seattle, Washington.

(Jane Gershovich, Getty Images)