Photos showing New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and former NFL reporter Dianna Russini together at a luxury Arizona resort sparked a public scandal in early April. But people close to the pair described their relationship as more than fleeting, with one insider telling the Daily Mail that Russini “genuinely loved” Vrabel.
The New York Post’s Page Six first published images in April of Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, holding hands and embracing at the adults-only Ambiente Sedona resort in late March. Additional photos later emerged: one set from a New York City bar in March 2020 appeared to show them kissing, with Vrabel’s hand on Russini’s thigh while he wore his wedding ring; another from a Mississippi casino in 2024 captured them smiling together.
Both are married to other people. Vrabel has been wed to Jen Vrabel since 1999; they have two adult sons. Russini married Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020 during the pandemic; they have two young children. Neither has publicly confirmed a romantic relationship. Initially, both called the Sedona images misleading and insisted their interaction was innocent.
Yet sources painted a picture of deeper feelings that spanned years. A source close to Russini told the Daily Mail on May 3 that the fallout left her in “survival mode,” navigating the end of her marriage and “the loss of Mike, who she genuinely loved.”
Radio host Craig Carton cited a Spotify playlist Russini created years earlier titled something like “TURNIN THE PAGE,” reportedly dedicated to “Mike” and filled with love songs, as further indication the pair were “madly in love.” The playlist surfaced publicly around the time Vrabel was coaching the Tennessee Titans, a team Russini covered extensively while at ESPN.
Vrabel addressed the matter briefly before the NFL Draft, saying he had “difficult conversations” with his family and the Patriots organization and had sought counseling. He stepped away from draft duties temporarily but returned to the team. The Patriots have expressed support for him.
Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14 amid an internal investigation into her NFL coverage and the nature of her relationship with Vrabel. She has since deleted her social media accounts and stepped out of the public eye, focusing on her children, according to people familiar with the situation.
The timeline of the reported interactions — from the 2020 bar photos through the 2024 casino outing to the 2026 resort trip — fueled speculation that the connection was longstanding and emotional rather than casual. A source told Page Six that witnesses at the 2020 bar described the pair as “all over each other.”
No public statements from either Vrabel or Russini have addressed the depth of their feelings. Russini’s only comment came early in the scandal when she denied the photos reflected anything improper. Vrabel has described the matter as personal and private while taking responsibility for actions that fell short of his own standards.
As of early May, neither marriage has been reported as legally dissolved. Vrabel’s wife was photographed at an airport still wearing her wedding ring after the couple took a reported 24-hour marriage summit trip to Utah. Russini’s husband has been described as embarrassed but still invested in trying to repair their relationship.
The story has dominated sports media conversations, raising questions about journalistic boundaries and personal conduct in the NFL world. But those who know Russini described her feelings for Vrabel as real and painful to lose amid the professional and personal fallout.
Flip the pages for photos of Vrabel and Russini all over each other.
