Mike Vrabel can’t seem to leave the Dianna Russini scandal behind him. As The Athletic closed its investigation into the insider’s work, which centered on journalism standards, the New England Patriots’ head coach had a rather blunt response for someone who seemed directly involved in the equation.
Mike Vrabel’s Response to Dianna Russini Report Didn’t Sit Well With Fans
After The Athletic released its internal review on Thursday, Vrabel was asked whether he had anything to say about its findings.
“No, I don’t have any reaction,” Vrabel said. “We’re moved on and focused on Seattle and focused on the Patriots and focused on getting better this week.”
That answer immediately set off NFL fans on social media.
One critic called Vrabel “A remarkably unlikable human being,” adding, “Easy to see why things soured in Tennessee.”
A remarkably unlikable human being. Easy to see why things soured in Tennessee. https://t.co/e8XIt4bD8o
— Jacob 🧀 (@TheCheeseKing__) September 3, 2026
Another joked, “This is literally my verbatim response to anything I don’t want to talk about lol.”
The backlash got harsher from there. One X user labeled Vrabel a “Bad liar and [expletive] husband! Face the music, buddy!”
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One more fan wrote, “Here is what is wrong with society. Putting football first over this guy‘s [expletive] lack of character and integrity. [expletive] the New England Patriots
for not having the guts to fire someone so disgusting.”
One fan mocked Vrabel using an “elephant in the room” meme.
https://t.co/Qza7xMWZfF pic.twitter.com/Y0cta3hwAz
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) September 3, 2026
Another fan wrote, “It must be nice to move on and still have a job.”
The Athletic’s probe found Russini’s relationship with Vrabel “was in clear violation” of the publication’s standards. Earlier in April, Vrabel had missed the final day of the draft for counseling after photos exposing his alleged relationship with Russini emerged.
What Did The Athletic Exactly Find While Investigating Dianna Russini?
The Athletic’s nearly five-month investigation into Dianna Russini’s work found a serious standards issue. Mike Semel, the outlet’s editorial director for standards and editorial quality, conducted an exhaustive review of her coverage involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
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As reported, Semel examined 903 stories, 77 videos, 204 Scoop City podcasts, and 25 off-platform appearances involving Russini. He also reviewed 75 Athletic stories about Vrabel and his teams and interviewed approximately 14 staffers who had worked with her.
The investigation found that only about 5% of Russini’s 903 pieces involved Vrabel or his teams. Nearly a third of those were routine transactions, and none were exclusive scoops. “Most of what Russini wrote about Vrabel or the Patriots was transactional and newsy,” Semel wrote.
However, the review still delivered a major finding. “Russini should have disclosed to The Athletic the nature of her relationship with Vrabel,” Semel concluded. “She did not.”
The inquiry stopped short of determining whether the relationship was romantic. However, it found Russini’s initial explanation of the Page Six photos conflicted with the facts, “raising issues of trust.”
Ultimately, Semel found limited evidence that she used her platform to favor Vrabel or aid his teams, but said the relationship “undermines our audience’s confidence in her impartiality.”
