New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel now knows the NFL’s response to his involvement in a controversy over photos that appeared to show him getting perhaps overly friendly with The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini. The photos, published April 7 by New York Post Page Six, showed the Super Bowl-winning coach and the reporter holding hands and embracing outdoors at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona.
The Athletic, the sports publication owned by The New York Times, announced that it was placing Russini under investigation over the controversy to determine “the nature of Ms. Russini’s relationship with Mr. Vrabel,” according to the Times, and whether that relationship affected her coverage.
What about Vrabel? Both he and Russini are married to other people and deny that they have been romantically involved with each other. The consequences he could suffer as a result of the alleged scandal are unclear, at least as far as the NFL is concerned.
But on Friday, the NFL announced its decision on what it planned to do about Vrabel.
Vrabel’s Conduct Will Not Be Reviewed
ESPN.com reporter Ben Strauss published a lengthy report on the Vrabel-Russini photo controversy on Friday.
“NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league is not reviewing Vrabel’s behavior as part of the league’s personal conduct policy, which states players, coaches and executives are required to avoid ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League,'” Strauss reported.
So Vrabel, it now appears, is off the hook for the scandal as far as the league office is concerned. Whether the Patriots organization will take any action to discipline the coach, who engineered a 14-3 season and a run through the AFC playoffs, remains unclear, according to the Strauss reporting.
“A spokesman for the Patriots did not respond to a question about whether it would review Vrabel’s relationship with Russini,” adding that Vrabel also “did not respond to a request for comment” from ESPN.com.
Russini also declined to comment for the Strauss story, but her agent referred ESPN.com to the reporter’s letter of resignation from The Athletic, which she posted publicly on social media.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini said in the letter. “Commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”
Fallout Has Been More Pronounced for Russini
In addition to ending her association with The Athletic, Russini’s journalistic reputation has taken a hit, according to a report by OutKick writer Bobby Burack.
“Additional factors have compounded the situation. Circulating clips of Russini making disparaging remarks about her husband have further shaped public perception, reinforcing questions about her character. And her career is likely over because of that,” Burack wrote. “That’s not to say Dan Le Batard or Bill Simmons won’t hire her for a podcast under the guise of fighting back against misogyny. But Russini’s value is not podcasting. She is an NFL insider, and no serious publication is going to hire her to report on news, given the reputation she inherited last week.”
Whether those consequences for Russini prove to be as severe as Burack portrays will become clear over time, but for now, Vrabel appears to be moving on from the photo controversy.
NFL Announces Decision on Mike Vrabel in Dianna Russini Photo Controversy