Latest / The Sports Hangover Daily / Vrabel One News Cycle Away From Losing Patriots Job | May 5, 2026
Transcript
- Welcome to The Sports Hangover Daily, I'm Michael Benatar. Today on the show: the Vrabel-Russini situation somehow gets worse and we need to talk about it, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers are heading toward a real standoff, the Knicks demolished Philly last night, and Ant Edwards came back early and the Wolves held off Wemby in a thriller. Let's get into it. So let's start in New England because this Vrabel-Russini story just will not stop. And honestly, it feels like it's heading somewhere really dark for the Patriots. Mike Florio went on the air and said we are one news cycle away from Vrabel not coaching this team in twenty twenty-six. One news cycle. That's it. And when you look at the Kalshi odds, Vrabel is only at seventy-seven percent to be the Patriots' coach by Week one. A month ago that number was basically a hundred. More photos surfaced over the weekend — these from twenty twenty, Vrabel and Dianna Russini together at a bar in New York. He missed Day three of the draft to go to counseling. Russini has resigned from The Athletic. Stugotz offered her a job, which — classic Stugotz. But here's what's scary for New England. This team just lost the Super Bowl. They've got a young roster, Drake Maye is supposed to be the guy, and instead of building around that, the entire organization is being held hostage by their head coach's personal life. If one more photo drops — and Florio seems pretty convinced there could be more — this coaching staff is done before the season starts. That's where we are. Super Bowl runners-up to a full-blown soap opera in less than three months. NFL — Aaron Rodgers still hasn't told the Steelers whether he's playing in twenty twenty-six. They gave him a deadline at the combine. He blew past it. They gave him another one at the draft. Blew past that too. Now it's May eighteenth — the start of OTAs. Pittsburgh drafted Drew Allar in the third round out of Penn State, so they're clearly hedging. They also used the right-of-first-refusal tag on Rodgers, which means they can match any offer he gets. But at this point, the Steelers are in a hostage negotiation with a guy who might just retire and go do ayahuasca in Costa Rica. Art Rooney is waiting by the phone like it's prom night. If Rodgers ghosts past May eighteenth, I think the frustration turns into something real. You can only be patient for so long before it becomes enabling. Quick hits around the league — the Cowboys slapped the franchise tag on George Pickens and then immediately said they won't negotiate a long-term deal. Brian Schottenheimer apparently "sent a warning to the NFL" about Pickens. I don't know what that means, but it sounds like Dallas is already over this marriage. In Cleveland, Deshaun Watson reportedly has the inside track over Shedeur Sanders for the starting job. Which — good luck with that, Browns fans. The Colts officially declined Anthony Richardson's fifth-year option, and the forty-niners are shopping Brandon Aiyuk. John Lynch told reporters — "We're available. Give us a call." That's cold. Also — the twenty twenty-six schedule release is being targeted for May twelfth through fourteenth, but it might get pushed because Netflix, YouTube, and Fox are in a bidding war for a five-game package. The NFL wants to double its rights fees. The networks want a twenty-five percent bump. So that's fun. Now to the NBA — the Knicks put a beating on Philly last night. One thirty-seven to ninety-eight. That is not a typo. Jalen Brunson had thirty-five points and twenty-seven of those came in the first half. He was scoring at will before most people found their seats. OG Anunoby went seven for eight from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns had seventeen, six, and six. It was over by halftime. Philly had one day to recover after pulling off that three to one comeback against Boston, and it showed. They looked gassed, disorganized, and completely outmatched. Brutal for a team riding that kind of high from the first round. Out West, Anthony Edwards was supposed to miss Games one and two with a bone bruise and hyperextended knee from April twenty-fifth. Instead, he just showed up and dropped eighteen points, including eleven in the fourth quarter. The Wolves beat the Spurs one oh four to one oh two in a game with nineteen lead changes. Julius Randle had twenty-one and ten. And Wemby — look, Wemby had twelve blocks. That's a new NBA postseason record. Twelve. He also had fifteen boards. But only eleven points, and that's the issue. San Antonio needs him to be dominant on BOTH ends if they're gonna compete in this series. Quick NHL note — Carolina took Game two in overtime, three to two. Taylor Hall scored at eighteen fifty-four of the extra period. The Hurricanes are now up two to nothing on Philly and have won all six of their playoff games this postseason. Frederik Andersen has allowed two or fewer goals in every single one. Carolina looks like the scariest team in the East right now. Time for the Hangover Take. I wanna talk about Luka. He's out for Game one tonight in OKC. He's been dealing with this grade two hamstring strain since April second. Brian Windhorst said he's not close — maybe another week to ten days minimum. The Lakers are targeting Game three or four for his return. So here's my take — this series might be over before Luka even puts on a jersey. OKC is the best team in basketball. The Lakers without Doncic are a first-round exit roster being asked to survive in the second round. JJ Redick is a good coach, but he can't scheme around the absence of a guy who averaged thirty-three and a half points per game this season. If the Thunder go up three to nothing before Luka comes back, what's the point? You're gonna rush a guy back from a hamstring injury to play in a series that's already lost? That's how you turn a grade two strain into a torn hamstring and ruin twenty twenty-seven too. The Lakers need to be smart here. If OKC jumps out early, shut Luka down and start planning for next season. Don't sacrifice the future for pride. That's your hangover. Go hydrate. I'll see you tomorrow.