The controversy surrounding NFL insider Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel continues to make headlines. Now, the story took another turn today after former USA TODAY NFL reporter Crissy Froyd made fresh allegations against Russini.
Crissy Froyd Alleges Dianna Russini Had Relationship With ‘Multiple Head Coaches’
During an appearance on “The Howard Eskin Show,” Froyd was asked if there are “other coaches and NFL personnel that have had relationships with Dianna Russini,” and the writer didn’t hold back.
Froyd replied: “Yes. Absolutely.”
Eskin then asked another question, “So Mike Vrabel’s not the only one that she’s had a sexual relationship with?”
Froyd replied with, “Yes… Multiple head coaches.”
When asked if “other [NFL] personnel were involved,” she replied, “Yes.”
It’s unclear if Froyd’s accusations are true, but it is the latest twist in the Vrabel-Russini scandal.
Froyd, who was fired in April after publicly criticizing Russini on social media, has been speaking out about what she describes as a “culture of corruption” within NFL media circles.
The comments come days after Froyd published a column in the Daily Mail about the ongoing Vrabel-Russini controversy.
In that article, Froyd questioned why more inquiries had not been directed toward Vrabel regarding the allegations that have circulated since photos of him and Russini surfaced earlier this offseason.
“Why do I want to know? Because I lost my job for attempting to blow the lid off the NFL’s open secret that some female sports reporters, rumored to include some of the most prominent names in the business, trade sex for stories,” Froyd wrote.
Froyd also claimed the issue extends beyond Russini and Vrabel.
“At the very least, Russini and Vrabel’s relationship creates the perception of a quid pro quo culture that pressures female journalists to trade sexual relationships with powerful male NFL employees in return for access and advancement,” she continued.
She further alleged that multiple female reporters had privately shared their experiences with her.
“I’ve also been told by at least half a dozen female reporters that they have had sex with NFL staff and, in one case, a prominent NFL head coach, while they were covering the team,” Froyd added.
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How Did the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini Controversy Begin?
The whole Vrabel-Russini controversy began when both were photographed together at the Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Arizona.
Page Six published the photos on April 7. The next day, both parties denied wrongdoing. Vrabel called suggestions of misconduct “laughable,” while Russini and The Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg argued the images lacked context and omitted the presence of a larger group of friends.
However, soon after, Russini resigned from The Athletic amid an internal review. She has maintained that there was no affair.
That same day, Froyd posted a series of messages criticizing Russini, which ultimately led her to be fired from USA TODAY Sports less than a week later.
Vrabel remains the head coach of the Patriots, who have stood by him even after he stepped away from the team on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to attend counseling alongside his family.
