Dianna Russini recalled a major misunderstanding with Mike Vrabel regarding comments about his body during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show on Feb. 2.
Russini said she landed in the situation in 2024 after she had conversations with NFL general managers during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in February 2024.
“I was at the Senior Bowl and had two back-to-back dinners with general managers,” Russini said. “It was double-booked, but I had to make it work. They asked me why I thought Mike Vrabel did not have a job and why he was not a head coach at the time.”
According to Russini, she said to the general managers that she viewed Vrabel as a strong leader from her time covering him with the Tennessee Titans. However, Russini did not have a clear answer to the question.
After which, both general managers suggested Vrabel was considered physically intimidating.
She said the situation escalated after her comments were picked by an aggregator and was misleadingly reported.
“Somehow, it went from him being an intimidating figure who might scare owners to ‘Mike Vrabel’s too fat to get a job,’” Russini continued.
It led to Vrabel contacting her.
“He ended up calling me and said, ‘Why would you ever report that? That is ridiculous. That is not even true,’” Russini said. “I responded, ‘Are you asking me if I think you’re fat?’ It was awkward and not fun, especially because that’s not what I said.”
Vrabel was fired by the Tennessee Titans in January 2024.
During the 2024 season, he took up the role of a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
In 2025, he was hired by the New England Patriots, the same team, where he won three Super Bowls as a player. Vrabel led the team to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl appearance, where it lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
On April 7, exclusive photos were released by Page Six, showing Vrabel and Russini together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona. The timing of these reports has been particularly disruptive because they broke right as the 2026 NFL Draft was getting underway.
Consequently, Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14.
On the other hand, Vrabel stepped back during Day 3 of 2026 NFL draft. On April 22, he issued a statement taking accountability for the “distraction” and announced he is seeking professional counselling to focus on his family and his well-being.
In the latest pictures, published by Page Six on April 23, the two were shown kissing at a bar in the Tribeca neighborhood of NYC in March 2020. At that time, Vrabel was the head coach of the Titans and already married. Russini was about six months away from her own wedding to Kevin Goldschmidt.
Dianna Russini Allegedly Shared a Spotify Playlist With ‘Mike’ in 2022
The “TURNIN THE PAGE” Spotify playlist, discovered by an X account named David Covucci, has added a new turn in this entire Dianna Russini- Mike Vrabel saga.
It was unearthed on Monday and dates back to Dec. 19, 2022.
The playlist was a collaborative project between Dianna Russini and a user named “Mike.”
December 2022 was a critical period for Vrabel’s former team, the Tennessee Titans. They were in the middle of a four-game losing streak that eventually cost them the division.
Based on the screenshot, shared by Covucci, here are the visible songs:
- CUFF IT – Beyoncé
- Big Energy – Latto
- BREAK MY SOUL – Beyoncé
- House Party – Sam Hunt
- My Love (feat. Jess Glynne) – Route 94, Jess Glynne
- Pump It Louder – Tiësto, Black Eyed Peas
- Raise Your Glass – P!nk
- Bass Down Low – DEV, The Cataracs
- Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Last Resort – Papa Roach
- Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses
- Photograph – Def Leppard
- God Of Thunder – KISS
- Dance the Night Away – Van Halen
- Renegade – Styx
Also Read:
“Have You Ever Done It With Jennifer?”: When Dianna Russini Questioned Mike Vrabel About Getting Competitive With Patriots HC’s Wife of 25 Years
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