Hints that former NFL reporter Dianna Russini plans to eventually share her account of interactions with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel have sparked fresh speculation that Vrabel or the team could pay to keep her silent and protect the franchise’s reputation.
Radio host Jon “Stugotz” Weiner told listeners on his show that the story belongs to Russini and that she will reveal it “on her timeline,” according to a report Sunday by Pro Football Talk. Weiner said it was not his place to share details from any private conversation with her.
The comments come nearly a month after photos published by the New York Post’s Page Six showed Vrabel and Russini together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona, on March 28. Images depicted the pair holding hands, embracing and spending time poolside and in a hot tub. Additional photos from March 2020, when Vrabel coached the Tennessee Titans and Russini worked at ESPN, later surfaced showing them kissing at a New York City bar.
Both were married to other people at the time of the encounters. Russini and Vrabel initially described the images as misleading or “laughable” in statements to the Post. Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14 amid an internal investigation into her relationship with Vrabel and her NFL coverage. She deleted her X account shortly afterward and has remained silent.
Vrabel addressed the matter publicly for the first time on April 21, saying he took “accountability for my actions” and had “difficult conversations” with his family and the organization. He missed the third day of the NFL Draft to seek counseling and said he was committed to providing the “best version” of himself to his family and the team. The Patriots have expressed full support for Vrabel and described the situation as private.
Pro Football Talk noted that “some sort of settlement agreement, with an NDA, would not be unprecedented in a situation like this.” No such agreement has been confirmed, and neither Vrabel, the Patriots nor Russini has commented on any financial arrangement or nondisclosure deal.
The next step will be for Russini, if she chooses, to say something other than what she has said. Surely, multiple news organizations are trying to get her to talk. It will be for her to decide when, where, and to whom the story will be told.
Depending on what she says — and when she says it — her story could create a new set of issues for Vrabel and the Patriots.
The timing will be critical. Will she talk not long before training camp opens? In the days preceding Week 1?
The speculation arises as the Patriots, coming off a rebuilding season under second-year coach Vrabel, look to avoid further distraction ahead of training camp. The NFL has said it has no current plans to investigate the matter under its personal conduct policy.
Russini, 43, was a prominent NFL insider known for her reporting at ESPN before joining The Athletic. Her resignation letter, posted on social media before she deactivated her account, defended her professional record and said she would not let the controversy define her career.
As of Tuesday, Russini had not issued any further public statements. Patriots training camp is scheduled to open in late July.
Flip the pages for photos of Russini and Vrabel getting cozy.
