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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will not be investigated by the league for a possible violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy after he and top NFL reporter Dianna Russini were photographed together at an exclusive Arizona resort, raising questions about their relationship.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy he told ESPN in an exclusive report detailing allegations against Russini and Vrabel, who are married to different people, that the league will not vet the Patriots’ second-year coach.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches during the first half against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on August 21, 2025. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
“NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league is not reviewing Vrabel’s behavior as part of the league’s personal conduct policy, which states that players, coaches and executives must avoid ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity and public trust in the National Football League,'” ESPN reported.
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Photos published by the New York Post’s Page Six earlier this month showed Vrabel and Russini, who at the time worked at The Athletic, at an intimate adults-only resort in Arizona during NFL league meetings. The two were seen hugging, holding hands and sitting poolside in swimsuits.
The hotel was two hours from where the league games were taking place.
Russini and Vrabel denied any wrongdoing. Russini argued that there were several others “hanging out during the day” who were not captured in the photographs. Vrabel added that the photos “show a completely innocent interaction.”
Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California on February 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
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But according to ESPN’s latest report, Russini “coordinated with Vrabel on how to respond to the Post.” He was also said to have “consulted advisors, including a crisis communications veteran,” after learning of the story.
The Athletic, owned by The New York Times, initially supported Russini but later launched an investigation into his reporting. On Tuesday he announced his resignation.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand by every story I have published. When the Page Six article first appeared, The Athletic stood by me unequivocally, expressing confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days since, unfortunately, commentators at various outlets have engaged in self-feeding speculation that simply is not tied to the facts,” his letter to The Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg read.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
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“Furthermore, this media frenzy is proceeding without regard to the review process that The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in subjecting myself to a public investigation that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept. Rather than allow this to continue, I have decided to step aside now, before my current contract expires on June 30. I am doing so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I “I refuse to give it any more oxygen or let it define me or my career.”
Based on Ginsberg’s response to his resignation letter, The Athletic’s review of Russini will continue.
His contract with the media was due to expire in June.
