New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is catching major heat – and tabloid headlines – after photos surfaced showing him getting very close with top NFL reporter Dianna Russini.
The exclusive images, obtained byPage Six, show Vrabel alongside the former SportsCenter host, now a senior NFL insider at The Athletic.
When and where it supposedly happened
The pair was spotted two weekends ago at the ultra-exclusive Ambiente Sedona, a boutique resort set against the stunning Brins Mesa mountains in Arizona.
According to a witness cited by Page Six, they shared breakfast on the restaurant terrace on Saturday, March 28, before spending nearly an hour relaxing by the pool and in a jacuzzi.
Both are married and have firmly denied any romantic involvement, insisting they were with a larger group. However, a witness told Page Six they did not see anyone else with them.
Vrabel had been in Arizona for a scouting event at Arizona State University before heading to Sedona. He later checked into the Arizona Biltmore for an NFL competition committee meeting. Russini was also in the area covering league events, continuing her role as one of the most influential voices in NFL journalism over the past decade.
Vrabel, who took over as Patriots head coach in 2025, led the team to the Super Bowl in his first season. Russini, meanwhile, continues to spearhead NFL coverage for The Athletic.
Both have strongly pushed back on the narrative surrounding the photos, calling them misleading. “These images show a completely innocent interaction,” Vrabel said. Russini added that the pictures “do not show the full group we were with.”
The Athletic also backed its reporter, stating the images “lack essential context” and reflect routine, public interactions common in sports journalism.
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