A newly released photograph of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former NFL reporter Dianna Russini together at a 2022 Super Bowl party is drawing fierce reaction online, but critics are mostly mocking the photo for its seeming unremarkability.
The image is arguably the mildest piece of visual evidence published since the Vrabel-Russini story exploded last month, and prominent voices are calling it exactly that.
Vrabel-Russini Photo Draws Mockery From Critics
TMZ Sports published the photograph Monday morning, showing Russini with her arm draped across Vrabel’s back during a conversation at the NFL Honors afterparty held at The Forum in Los Angeles, according to TMZ. Kings of Leon was performing at the event, which was attended by a wide circle of NFL personnel the night Vrabel accepted the Associated Press Coach of the Year award for guiding the Tennessee Titans to a 12-5 record and the AFC South title.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy was among the first to fire back at the photo’s framing.
“Super Bowl parties are loud. It’s hard to hear. Find a new slant,” Portnoy posted to X.
Another X account, @plane_pats, put it more bluntly, describing the TMZ exclusive as “2 people talking at a loud party.” Another commenter, @QuillionWatts, went further, arguing that coverage of the situation consistently places the burden on Russini rather than Vrabel.
“The headline is never, Mike Vrabel seen here stepping out on his wife. No, it’s always, look at this chick again.”
Making the photo’s release even more insignificant, witnesses who attended the NFL Honors afterparty told TMZ they observed nothing inappropriate between the two that evening.
Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel Scandal Timeline
The 2022 party photo is the latest addition to a growing body of documentation showing Russini and Vrabel together socially. The two were previously photographed at a casino in 2024 and captured on video during a private boat trip in June 2021, a trip that took place when Russini was seven months pregnant with her first child, according to Us Weekly.
The current controversy erupted last month after Page Six published photographs of the pair at a luxury resort in Arizona, in apparently intimate settings. Additional images reportedly showing them together at a New York City bar in 2020 followed shortly after.
Russini, 43, resigned from her position as lead NFL insider at The Athletic in April, citing the relentless media attention, but not confirming any inappropriate involvement with Vrabel.
“Commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts,” Russini wrote in a statement shared via social media on April 14. Russini has been married to Kevin Goldschmidt since September 2020. The couple have two sons.
Vrabel Addresses Personal Situation, Sort of
Vrabel, 50, who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season after taking over in January 2025, issued a statement to ESPN on April 22 disclosing that he had stepped away from the team during the NFL Draft weekend to begin counseling.
“I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them,” Vrabel said in the statement. “I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend.”
Vrabel, who has been married to his wife Jen since 1999 and has two adult sons, added: “I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be.”
Neither Vrabel nor Russini has publicly confirmed a romantic relationship. The 2022 party photo, whatever it shows, nonetheless adds another installment to a story that shows no signs of being ready to quit.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post NFL Fans React to New Russini-Vrabel Photo Amid Patriots Controversy appeared first on HEAVY.