Mike Vrabel Gets Standing Ovation From Patriots Fans

Mike Vrabel isn't under fire everywhere ... the embattled Patriots head coach received an ultra-warm welcome at an event for season ticket holders Tuesday night, with fans making it clear they support him!

The 50-year-old Pats coach walked into a Q&A sesh with diehard Patriots supporters at Gillette Stadium last night and got a standing ovation right off the bat, with fans going crazy for Vrabel, according to Dave Portnoy.

Patriots reporter Mike Reiss MC'd the event and sat next to Vrabel on stage.

The reaction was surely welcomed and appreciated by Vrabel, who has been under enormous scrutiny for his relationship with NFL insider Dianna Russini, which appears to date back at least six years.

Since the pair was originally captured looking cozy at a boutique resort in Arizona, other photos have come to light showing Vrabel and Russini doing everything from gambling at a casino to kissing at a bar.

Up to this point, Russini has paid the bigger price -- at least at work -- she resigned from her job at The Athletic amid an investigation by her bosses, who were trying to get to the bottom of the story.

No one in the know has suggested Vrabel could lose his job ... and the NFL has already signalled he won't be investigated -- but his reputation is still in the gutter across much of the country.