Dianna Russini has revealed that an unnamed NFL player supported her through the controversy involving New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. The former Athletic reporter said his regular early-morning messages encouraged her to stay strong as she prepares to return to NFL coverage.
Dianna Russini credits unnamed NFL player with supporting her after Mike Vrabel controversy
Speaking to People on Monday, Russini said the player would text her around 5 a.m. He would ask how she was bettering herself and remind her “that you have to stay strong through hard times.”
“I’m using a lot of that as motivation,” the 43-year-old journalist said. She added that the support has made her “so energized” about her upcoming BetUS TV show, The Russini Report. She also described the NFL community’s support as “a motivational tour,” saying several people checked on her almost daily while she was away from work.
Reflecting on the controversy, Russini said “the lies became so out of control.” She described the situation as “a runaway train” and admitted that reading about it had made it harder to heal. Calling the past six months “heartbreaking,” she recalled, “At the beginning of this, it was a nightmare.”
Meanwhile, Russini has joined BetUS Sportsbook, where she will host weekly live shows and write a weekly column starting Wednesday. She said she had “missed being in the middle of the action” and was excited to return to NFL reporting.
The controversy followed Page Six‘s reporting on photographs showing Russini and Vrabel together at an Arizona resort in March. Both are married to other people and maintained that they were there with friends. They described their interactions as “completely innocent.” Russini resigned from The Athletic in April 2026, while Vrabel missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft to seek counseling.
In September, The Athletic released findings from an internal investigation. It stated that their relationship “was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards.” The outlet’s editorial director, Mike Semel, added, “Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed.”
