With minicamps ending and training camp a month away, the NFL has taken a step back. This is the quietest time of the year for the league, and it helps that the FIFA World Cup is currently taking place in the U.S., dominating the sports world and most of the analysis.
Over the past few weeks, with players taking the field for minicamps, the storylines around the NFL have changed. This was a welcome sight for Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini, who hope to bury the scandal involving the pair as the new season approaches.
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Things seem to be quiet this month. Vrabel carried on the New England Patriots’ minicamps as normal, while Russini took a step back from the spotlight after she resigned from The Athletic. She’s currently not working for any outlet, and it’s unclear whether she’ll have any kind of role covering the 2026 season.
Russini, who previously worked for ESPN, has not made any public comment in weeks. Recently, PFN’s NFL analysts gave their thoughts on what the future will look like for the reporter, and Terry Biggs doesn’t believe that her reputation will ever return to 100%.
He points out how her next gig could have a different look.
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“Russini will find a home at Barstool or Dan Le Batard’s show. She will conduct a teary interview. However, her reputation inside the league is shot. She may become an NFL commentator, but this scandal is now her entire legacy,” Biggs wrote.
The same can’t be said about Vrabel, as Patriots owner Robert Kraft publicly supported him through the worst times. He missed Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to be close to his family as the scandal reached its peak, but he returned to the facilities just two days later to resume his offseason preparations.
The Patriots issued no discipline to the head coach for the missed draft day, and the NFL has decided not to investigate the scandal since the league is treating it as a personal matter. New England has publicly supported the head coach’s absence, as said in a statement.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team, and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment,” the statement read.
Vrabel is now fully focused on taking his team back to the Super Bowl. The next steps for Russini, on the other hand, haven’t been revealed. It remains to be seen if she will speak out and share her side of the story, but joining a major outlet feels unlikely at this point.
