The Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini scandal has consumed NFL discourse for more than a month. It has produced new photos, videos, and reporting on a near-weekly basis since their images from a resort in Arizona were released in April.
Although Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14 and Vrabel missed the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling, the noise around them remains loud and persistent. Now, it is being rumored that the New England Patriots could play in the season opener, which will bring more attention to their head coach.
NFL Season Opener Could Put Mike Vrabel Scandal in the National Spotlight
According to Barstool’s Kirk Minihane, the Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in the 2026 NFL season opener, which will be played in Seattle on Wednesday, September 9.
The Seahawks’ list of eligible home opponents had narrowed considerably after the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants were already scheduled for Sunday Night Football in Week 1, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will be playing in Australia, and the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
Due to these fixtures, the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, and the Patriots were the only realistic options. Although the Seahawks-Patriots matchup is not yet confirmed, people on social media do not look thrilled with the decision, given the ongoing situation involving Vrabel and Russini.
“No way the NFL is so tone-deaf that they put the Patriots/Vrabel in the NFL season opener,” PFSN’s Matt Infante wrote on X.
This would be the dumbest thing the league can do. https://t.co/DpIBo0XBYZ
— Dan Viens 🎙(Seahawks Forever Podcast) (@SeahawksForever) May 12, 2026
“Would be completely shocked if this is true,” Mike Pendleton said on X. “Not sure Vrabel and Co. + SB rematch right away is what NFL wants.”
“Not sure why the league would want that,” another user on X added.
The Seahawks have a worse roster than last season and the Patriots have a better roster.
Just saying
— Savage (@Savageboston) May 12, 2026
If Minihane’s report holds, it would give NBC’s broadcast booth the unenviable task of addressing the league’s biggest off-field story while calling a Super Bowl rematch. Awful Announcing’s Matt Clapp raised the issues that will be there if the Patriots play in the season opener.
“While Roger Goodell and the NFL generally love any attention and buzz they can get, do they really want more talk about the Russini-Vrabel situation as a leading storyline going into the NFL Kickoff Game?” Clapp wrote. “There are already many people questioning whether Vrabel should be allowed to keep coaching the Patriots, as new details surrounding the scandal continue to come out.”
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“It’s a story that’s definitely not going away anytime soon, especially when it comes to Vrabel as the NFL season approaches,” he added. “So, to only increase that spotlight would be a fascinating, and some might say puzzling, choice by the league. It would also put more attention and pressure on NBC — with announcers Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth in the booth — for how the broadcast would address the scandal and handle coverage about Vrabel.”
If the league does slot New England against the Seahawks, it would strongly suggest that neither the Patriots nor the NFL expects Vrabel to resign or be fired before September. As of now, quarterback Drake Maye has publicly supported his head coach, and the league has confirmed no investigation is underway.
However, things can change if Russini breaks her silence with a sit-down interview, or if new details surface that contradict what Vrabel has told the organization privately. Moreover, if the Patriots struggle, the pressure on owner Robert Kraft to act would only intensify.
The full schedule will be released on Thursday, and if the Patriots are indeed on the other sideline in Seattle, all eyes will be on how Vrabel handles the enormous amount of attention that he will get.
