New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former ESPN and The Athletic insider Dianna Russini have been tabloid material for weeks now.
Accusations of an extramarital relationship have flooded social media, with photos spanning six years to back up the claims.
Russini has since resigned and shut down her social media accounts, while Vrabel admitted to having some “difficult conversations” with his family and missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft to seek counseling.
However, this might not be the end of this saga. According to NFL insider Mike Florio, there have been “hints” that Russini is preparing to tell her side of the story, and that could only lead to more turmoil in Foxborough.
Dianna Russini may soon share her side of the story
“Depending on what she says — and when she says it — her story could create a new set of issues for Vrabel and the Patriots,” Florio wrote. “The timing will be critical. Will she talk not long before training camp opens? In the days preceding Week 1?”
Vrabel has been under a lot of heat, but he got to keep his job, unlike Russini. Granted, there might be different codes of ethics for head coaches and insiders, regardless of whatever they choose to do with their personal lives.
Whether anyone should be fired for allegedly cheating on their significant other is a debate for another day and platform, but with the evident conflicts of interest, the Patriots and the NFL might not be able to look the other way, depending on what she has to say and when she says it.
“Regardless, she has a story to tell. The first question is whether she’ll tell it. The next question is when. The ultimate question is what she’ll say,” Florio concluded.
This story has also fueled some classless remarks and cliches about female insiders in this business, so it’s only right that she gets a chance to defend herself after weeks of backlash and serious implications for her personal and professional life.