Social media sleuths have unearthed a series of posts where NFL insider Dianna Russini appears to be praising or defending Mike Vrabel after photos showing them getting close at an exclusive resort emerged.
A story published in Page Six on Tuesday night revealed images of New England Patriots head coach Vrabel and Russini, The Athletic’s senior NFL insider, ‘holding hands and hugging’ at a luxury hotel in Arizona.
Sources told Page Six that the two – who are both married to other people – spent time together at the hotel’s outdoor patio on March 28.
They were also spotted on a private rooftop ‘hugging at sunset and weaving their fingers together as they [stood] face-to-face’ before briefly dancing together.
Sources close to Vrabel and Russini say both people were at the hotel with other friends which were not visible in pictures.
In a statement to the outlet, Vrabel said, ‘These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response.’
Russini told Page Six, ‘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.’
Dianna Russini seen interviewing Mike Vrabel last year after he got the Patriots job
Russini was critical of Titans coach Robert Saleh after he was hired by Vrabel’s former team
Both Vrabel (L) and Russini (R) are denying suggestions that they’re having an affair
But fans online have quickly found examples of Russini speaking highly of Vrabel in recent years.
The pair have known each other for some time. When she was working at ESPN, Russini’s first NFL beat was to cover the Tennessee Titans – who were coached by Vrabel at the time.
The first post flagged by social media users comes from the offseason in 2024, just weeks after Vrabel was fired by the Titans.
Despite his impressive work in Nashville, Vrabel wasn’t given a new head coaching job immediately. On a podcast, Russini bizarrely claimed Vrabel’s ‘physical build’ was a reason why teams looked elsewhere that year.
She said: ‘I don’t think that there was a fit for him. I don’t think he sat in front of any owner who thought that his style was going to work for what they were looking for.
‘Do you know, I had a GM at the Senior Bowl who mentioned to me Vrabel’s physical build? That he’s a very large human being and can be very intimidating to people in an organization that are going to be part of these decisions.
‘That is a factor. Which, I laughed. I said “stop, that’s not something that’s real. Who cares what someone physically looks like?”
‘And he said, “I’m just telling you, I’ve been in rooms and somebody’s physical presence can make a difference”.’
Russini is pictured interviewing Vrabel in 2019, when he was coaching the Titans
The two visited a hotel, Ambiente, which is an adults-only venue near Sedona, Arizona
Sleuths also shared an interview that Russini did with Vrabel in August 2025, months after he was hired by the Patriots.
Finally, fans uncovered Russini’s posts that were critical of Robert Saleh after he was hired by the Titans, Vrabel’s former team, earlier this offseason.
In January, she posted: ‘I think it’s fair to point out that the Titans were looking for Mike Vrabel type qualities in this hire.
‘It’s smart. Who cares if they had that type previously and fired him.
‘What’s outrageous is suggesting Robert Saleh is Vrabel. These are two very, very different guys.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Russini as well as Vrabel’s agent for further comment on the matter.
A source close to Russini told Page Six that she was at the hotel ‘during a hiking trip with two female pals.’
Meanwhile, a friend of Vrabel’s told the outlet that they and the coach drove to Sedona for the day with a third friend – and that they all drove back to their own hotel two hours away after hanging with Russini and her friends.
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, for over two decades and share two children
Meanwhile, Russini married fast food executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020
While the sources connected to both parties claim the two weren’t alone, Page Six claims that three separate eyewitnesses informed the outlet that neither Vrabel nor Russini were seen with anyone else.
When asked if Vrabel was with friends at the hotel, one eyewitness told the outlet, ‘No, he was with a girl.’
Per Page Six, Vrabel was at a scouting event at Arizona State University in Tempe on Friday before driving 125 miles to the adults-only hotel – which markets itself as a romantic getaway.
Vrabel is married to his wife, Jen, who he met while they were both students at Ohio State. They have been wed for over 26 years and have two sons.
Meanwhile, Russini married Kevin Goldschmidt, an executive at fast food restaurant Shake Shack, in 2020. Together, they share two children.
Steven Ginsberg, the executive editor of The Athletic, told the outlet: ‘These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.’
