Chris Simms has been fired from NBC’s “Football Night in America” in the program’s latest shake-up after Tony Dungy was previously replaced by Mike Tomlin.
While some viewed this as a standard broadcasting move, others theorized that there was more to this story. That includes Bill Belichick’s girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who took to X to sound off on NBC’s decision and question whether this has something to do with Simms’ comments about the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal.
Jordon Hudson Links Chris Simms’ Firing to Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini Controversy
Hudson shared a clip from “Pro Football Talk Live” in which Mike Florio and Simms were discussing the Russini-Vrabel controversy and things got tense and awkward, with the former trying to steer his co-host away from the topic.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
Chris Simms was FIRED by NBC from their Sunday Night Football coverage not long after when he almost reveled what coaches & their wives have been telling him about #Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini.
😳
This clip is wild now: pic.twitter.com/X6iPmtVh3i
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) April 28, 2026
“Well, it’s the biggest story in the NFL. I mean, you know, I wouldn’t… I’d shoot you straight,” Simms said. “These are things I’ve been texting with my friends about in the coaching world. Even their wives are involved in the conversation as well.”
“Stay on target,” Florio interrupted. “Stay on target.”
“What are you talking about?” Simms responded.
Florio added: “Careful. I’m trying… You ever seen Star Wars? As Luke is going down… one of his wingmen is telling him to stay on target. There’s a lot there. And there’s only so much that is reported and known. And that’s why I’m just trying to help.”
Simms: “All right. In Star Wars, they have a thing called ‘shut up and just let the person talk?'”
Given that Simms was fired shortly after this exchange, Hudson theorized that Simms may have been let go for refusing to be silent about Russini and Vrabel.
Hudson posted the clip on her X account with that simple one-line question: “We’re not talking about this? @ProFootballTalk.” This is a reference to Belichick’s infamous CBS interview when he was asked about his relationship with Hudson, and she interrupted with: “We’re not talking about this.”
She then sent a follow-up tweet with a meme of Simms’ face edited onto the CBS interviewer and Florio’s face edited onto Hudson’s face, implying that Florio was shooting down the Russini-Vrabel topic just like she shut down the question during Belichick’s interview.
https://t.co/5AXbXuw2fG pic.twitter.com/HzQdKbWILJ
— Jordon Hudson (@Jordonbella) April 29, 2026
Hudson isn’t the only one calling attention to Simms’ firing and pushing this conspiracy theory.
“Yikes: Chris Simms was fired from NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage just two weeks after he was about to reveal some insider info about the Mike Vrabel – Dianna Russini scandal,” Dov Kleiman wrote. “Mike Florio immediately cut Simms off before he could say anything.”
MLFootball’s X page chimed in: “Chris Simms was FIRED by NBC from their Sunday Night Football coverage not long after when he almost revealed what coaches & their wives have been telling him about #Patriots HC Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini. 😳 This clip is wild now.”
Podcaster Sean Green asked the uncomfortable question directly.
“Chris Simms tries to speak on Russini on @ProFootballTalk, and now he’s out of SNF?” he asked. “Has another whistleblower been silenced?”
Influencer Chuck Bass admitted that he hadn’t realized the odd timing until others brought it up.
“It never occurred to me that NBC fired Chris Simms not long after he admitted live on air that group chats involving the wives of NFL coaches had a lot more to say than what’s already been reported,” he said.
Only the NBC brass know for certain why Simms was removed from “Football Night in America,” but the timing is curious. The one argument against Hudson’s conspiracy theory is that Florio has been talking about the Vrabel-Russini controversy quite a bit in recent weeks ever since that initial awkward exchange with Simms. He and Simms have covered the topic frequently over the last week or so, so it doesn’t seem like anyone is trying to silence them.
It’s possible that the timing of Simms’ firing is just a coincidence, but the fact that the awkward video is out there has created this narrative. It will be interesting to see if Simms responds and shares his thoughts on why he was let go.
As for Russini and Vrabel, the former resigned from her role at The Athletic, while the latter isn’t facing any consequences as the NFL has decided not to investigate the personal matter and the Patriots have backed him publicly. Vrabel missed Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, but this was by choice to enter counseling with his family.
The Vrabel and Russini scandal has transcended sports, and it doesn’t show any signs of dying down, especially since new information keeps surfacing every day.
And if there’s one couple who know a thing or two about popping up in tabloids and facing backlash, it’s Hudson and Belichick.
