Dianna Russini’s work as an NFL reporter has come under renewed scrutiny after her alleged relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel became public. The controversy has also raised questions about how her role as an Associated Press awards voter may have affected the coaches competing with Vrabel.
One older ballot, in particular, has come under scrutiny because of who Russini ranked and who she left out. This decision has now become an important part of the debate surrounding the former The Athletic reporter.
Dianna Russini’s 2024 AP Ballot Draws Fresh Scrutiny
Tony Farmer, the host of the “Last Men Standing” podcast, recently highlighted Russini’s 2024 AP Assistant Coach of the Year ballot, which became public after the award results were released.
Farmer’s post on X pointed to the unusual placement in 2024 of Philadelphia Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and the absence of Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson from Russini’s top five.
“Holy Crap! Dianna Russini’s 2024 Assistant Coach of the Year ballot is highly suspect,” Farmer wrote. “Ben Johnson won the award with 29 first-place votes, but she doesn’t have him or Liam Coen in her top 5!!”
Johnson won the award with 29 first-place votes and 364 points from 50 voters. Stoutland received only one first-place vote, along with 17 total points. That lone first-place vote came from Russini, according to the ballot information cited in the post.
Farmer also connected the ballot to the 2025 coaching cycle involving Vrabel, Johnson, and Liam Coen. He noted that Johnson and Coen were among the coaches competing with Vrabel for head-coaching opportunities, while Russini was later described as having an unofficial advisory role during Vrabel’s job search.
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“Remember, Coen and Johnson were competing with Mike Vrabel during his 2025 job search and The New York Times said that Russini was working in an unofficial advisor role for Vrabel during his search,” Farmer wrote.
Holy Crap !
Dianna Russini’s 2024 Assistant Coach of the Year ballot is highly suspect. Ben Johnson won the award with 29 first place votes, but she doesn’t have him or Liam Coen in her top 5!!
Remember, Coen and Johnson were competing with Mike Vrabel during his 2025 job… pic.twitter.com/zaCRvJunj6
— Tony Farmer (@Tonysmarkettips) August 19, 2026
The issue resurfaced after Page Six published photos of Russini and Vrabel in April 2026. Since then, Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14 as the publication investigated potential conflicts of interest surrounding her coverage.
Why Russini’s Voting Record Matters to Vrabel’s Award
The scrutiny does not establish that Russini manipulated an award ballot for Vrabel. However, her 2024 voting choices have prompted questions because the AP’s awards process can influence how coaches are viewed during hiring cycles.
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The AP uses a weighted system for its top-five rankings: 10 points for first place, 5 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, and 1 for fifth. Johnson’s 2024 victory was overwhelming, while Russini’s ballot stood apart because she omitted him and gave Stoutland her first-place vote.
Farmer also raised a separate concern about transparency surrounding the 2025 AP Coach of the Year ballot. Vrabel won that award with 302 points and 19 first-place votes, while Coen finished with 239 points and 16 first-place votes.
The AP has not publicly identified individual 2025 ballots, leaving no way to determine from the available information how Russini voted in that race.
This unanswered question has kept attention on her previous ballot and the broader debate over transparency in NFL awards voting.
