The scandal involving New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL insider Dianna Russini continues to dominate headlines.
Now, the controversy has taken an ironic turn after an old trading card autographed by Vrabel resurfaced with a message that didn’t age well.
Mike Vrabel’s Autographed Card Resurfaces Amid Dianna Russini Scandal
Ever since Vrabel and Russini were photographed together at an Arizona resort, it has become a major storyline with new information and details surfacing seemingly every day. Sometimes the leaks are old photos or videos of the pair together; sometimes, it’s resurfaced tweets or videos that didn’t age well given the allegations against the pair.
Now, an autographed trading card from Vrabel’s time as the Tennessee Titans head coach is making the rounds on social media, as it features the quote, “We won’t make critical mistakes.” The card reportedly sold for $750 thanks to the ironic message.
“You can’t make this stuff up,” posted @cllctMedia on X. “Someone just bought this Mike Vrabel card for $750 on eBay … and IT IS SOMETHING.”
The card is from the 2018 Panini Playbook series, and it’s a numbered card so it was already rare. Now, given the Vrabel-Russini scandal, it has taken on a whole new meaning, especially since recent photos and videos seem to indicate their alleged affair was happening while Vrabel was coaching the Titans.
During the early stages of the controversy, Russini resigned from The Athletic. Meanwhile, the Patriots have publicly backed Vrabel even after he missed Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to enter counseling. A number of players have spoken out and supported him as well, including Drake Maye, Christian Gonzalez, and Robert Spillane, among others. The NFL has announced that they aren’t investigating the Vrabel-Russini scandal, as they are treating it as a personal matter.
Sports Illustrated’s NFL insider Albert Breer recently spoke about Vrabel’s standing with the Patriots.
“I’d say at this point, it’s definitely not in [the team’s] plans to move on from Mike Vrabel,” he said. “I think if you look at the actions of the Kraft sports… almost everything has been done in an effort to protect his employment, protect his team’s image. If it’s just continued drips and drabs that continue to fill in the blanks of what we already sort of know, then I think the Patriots just ride it out.”
Given how the Patriots have stood by Vrabel thus far, Breer believes the saga would have to take a drastic turn for the team to show him the door.
“It would have to go to a different level,” he said.
It remains to be seen how this saga will end, as it has transcended sports and become a huge story that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down in the near future.
