Around a year before the scandal featuring New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini, Russini interviewed Vrabel about his wife, Jennifer Vrabel.
Vrabel and Russini were photographed together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona, in April 2026. This gave rise to a big scandal, which has since seen Russini resign from her position at The Athletic.
Dianna Russini questioned Mike Vrabel about his wife before scandal
A year ago, during the 2025 offseason interview, Diana Russini questioned Mike Vrabel about his wife, Jennifer Vrabel (via US Weekly).
“Your wife is a superb athlete,” Russini said to Vrabel in the resurfaced clip from The Athletic. Vrabel corrects her in the interview, saying, “I would say, [Jen] used to be [a superb athlete].” Jen reportedly played for Ohio State’s volleyball team from 1993 to 1996. “Maybe ‘used to be’, but she has still got it in her the way you do,” Russini said of Jen.
The former NFL insider followed up the question by asking Vrabel if there was a sport where his wife could still beat him. “Ping-pong,” he answered. “Have you ever done it with her?” as surprised Russini asked him in the clip, to which Vrabel said he gets “too aggressive” while playing sports.
The scandal involving Russini and Vrabel emerged after Page Six posted photos of the pair holding hands at a boutique hotel in Sedona earlier this month. Both are married to different people.
Vrabel responded to Page Six, saying, “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Russini delivered a similar response. She said, “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Both professionals were defended by their respective organizations, but Russini ended up resigning from her post on April 14, 2026. She also recently deactivated her X (formerly known as Twitter) account amidst the controversy.
