NFL

Scandal Involving Reporter Will Force Patriots Coach to Miss Day 3 of the Draft

Head coach Mike Vrabel will seek counseling this weekend. Dianna Russini, who has resigned, condemned ‘this media frenzy.’
Scandal Involving Reporter Will Force Patriots Coach to Miss Day 3 of the Draft
Head coach Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots reacts during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Jan. 4, 2026. Winslow Townson/Getty Images
Matthew Davis
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The New England Patriots have returned to gridiron glory, but off-field controversy hasn’t stayed away.

First, two players were mired in legal trouble during the 2025 season when the team reached the Super Bowl after a three-year postseason hiatus. Now, it’s the Patriots head coach, Mike Vrabel, front and center in a media firestorm over an off-field scandal involving reporter Dianna Russini, formerly with The Athletic.

Matthew Davis
Matthew Davis
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Matthew Davis is an experienced, award-winning journalist who has covered major professional and college sports for years. His writing has appeared on Heavy, the Star Tribune, and The Catholic Spirit. He has a degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University.