The Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal was one of the biggest developments of the entire NFL offseason. After Page Six published pictures of the two at an Arizona resort, the controversy has become a tabloid circus that has transcended football.
Now, even as the preseason rapidly approaches, the story is still commanding a lot of attention. For one NFL podcaster, though, one of the most bizarre developments from the entire situation has been the relative silence from most media outlets.
Tony Farmer Continues to Call Out the Associated Press
After the pictures of Vrabel and Russini were published, internet sleuths combed through old interviews, tweets, and even Spotify playlists to find clues about their alleged relationship.
Russini resigned from her role at The Athletic, but the New England Patriots head coach hasn’t faced any consequences. The Patriots have stood by Vrabel every step of the way, even after he stepped away from the team to enter counseling on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Given the high-profile nature of the scandal, the relative silence from the media has been surprising. The Associated Press, in particular, has taken heat for remaining silent given that they present the NFL’s annual awards. Russini is one of 50 voters who filled out a ballot for the eight awards, including Coach of the Year (which Vrabel won last season). NFL podcaster Tony Farmer has continued to call out the AP’s silence and refusal to release Russini’s ballot (despite releasing every voter’s ballot the year before).
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“The Associated Press’ campaign of silence continues,” Farmer wrote on X. “Still no Russini COTY ballot. Still no explanation for why the award ballot process changed from last year. Still no response to my inquiry about the Russini resignation story.”
The Associated Press has yet to even revoke Russini’s vote despite the scandal and her resignation from The Athletic.
“And, as of today, Dianna Russini is apparently still an AP NFL Awards voter with a COTY vote, even though there appears to be a conflict of interest with her friendship with Mike Vrabel,” Farmer pointed out. “If the AP is willing to let its credibility suffer, there must be, imo, a big reason why.”
It’s possible the Associated Press is waiting for The Athletic’s investigation into Russini’s reporting to conclude before taking action. The findings of the investigation are expected to be announced soon.
In the meantime, the AP is being criticized for its silence and complete lack of acknowledgment regarding the Russini-Vrabel scandal.
