Despite resigning from The Athletic months ago, former NFL insider Dianna Russini has continued to make headlines amid allegations of an affair with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. As the NFL news cycle has continued along and training camps get closer to opening, Russini and Vrabel’s scandal has bubbled under the surface.
The Athletic’s investigation into Russini is still ongoing. Now, NFL writer Crissy Froyd dropped another bombshell about the scope of the scandal and how it extends far beyond just the Patriots.
Crissy Froyd Drops Another Bombshell Amid Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel Controversy
During Friday’s segment of the “Mike Drop” show with host Mike Asti, outspoken NFL writer Crissy Froyd, who was fired by USA TODAY Sports for her commentary on Russini’s resignation, dropped another bombshell regarding the scandal.
She previously wrote that six female reporters confided in her that they had relations with NFL personnel for stories in what she described as the NFL’s “culture of corruption.” Now, she revealed that based on what she knows, she believes that NFL personnel from at least “a third” of the league is engaging in this behavior.
“The biggest issue here is that, from what I know and the names I have, it spans so far across the NFL. It involves several different teams,” Froyd said. “I think it involves at least a third, from what I know. And I wonder even about the stuff that I don’t know. I think those people are gonna do anything and everything that they possibly can to make sure that doesn’t [come out]. We could go conspiracy theory mode, like money is changing hands. I’m sure it’s happening.
“I think a lot of people, the reason that they aren’t talking is because they have done something unethical that they are not proud of and Dianna Russini is in a place where she has nothing to lose. Not a single thing to lose. If someone with a name sounds off and says, ‘Dianna did this with this person,’ they’ve got to deal with person B and what they could do, anyone who knows anything about them, and if people start doing that, Dianna might get up one day and say, ‘Well, you did this, this, this, and this. Here’s the text messages and the evidence…’ Then, we have a very big problem.
“I think [this scandal] will either be the tipping point and it’s going to blow up and all of these different accusations are going to come out and everyone’s going to start running in a frenzy saying what they know or it’s just going to go away. I don’t see there being a middle ground with this.”
Recently, three-time Super Bowl champion and former ESPN broadcaster Mark Schlereth was asked about The Athletic’s investigation into Russini, and he admitted, “I think the entire league is nervous…” This seems to line up with what Froyd is saying.
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The length of The Athletic’s ongoing investigation has been criticized and it remains to be seen what findings will be made public. The former reporter’s journalistic integrity has been questioned as the ethics of her relationship with Vrabel have been called into question.
Even the Associated Press has caught flak as the scandal has unfolded in the public eye, with Russini’s status as an award voter coming under intense scrutiny.
It remains to be seen how this saga will end and whether other NFL personnel or reporters will be called out for similar behavior, as Froyd suggests is possible.
