Dianna Russini has been covering the NFL as a journalist for over 10 years and earned the respect of her peers, but all that came crashing down recently. Since beginning her career in American football with WRC-TV in 2013, Russini worked for ESPN before joining The Athletic in 2023. However, a recent controversy involving New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has left her without a job. Despite this setback, a friend is standing by her side and offering support.

“I am not a mouthpiece for Dianna Russini. I am simply saying, it’s her story to tell, it’s not my story, and I am simply going to support my friend,” said Jon Weiner on Stugotz and Company. “If The Athletic fired her, I would hire her. They didn’t fire her. She stepped down from The Athletic, and the offer holds forever, if Dianna Russini decides one day, three months from now, a year from now, two years from now, that she wants to get back into this game, she has a place right here.”

Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel’s steady life has passed through intense scrutiny in the last few weeks. The controversy stemmed after photos of Russini and Vrabel together at the Ambiente Sedona resort in Arizona surfaced online on April 7. The images showed the pair hugging, lounging poolside, and holding hands on a private rooftop.

While many deemed it an affair, both parties refuted the allegations. However, consequences did follow. The Athletic launched an investigation, and Russini eventually resigned to avoid a public inquiry and an escalating media frenzy. Meanwhile, Vrabel remained as the Patriots’ head coach, receiving public support from owner Robert Kraft and players like QB Drake Maye.

As far as Russini, not a lot have come forward and spoken for her, but Weiner showed his friend support in his recent statement. The two were colleagues at ESPN, but currently Weiner is running his own radio show, where he has opened doors for Russini.

“I’m not a journalist, I’m a talk show host,” Weiner continued. “And when my real friends fall on some difficult times, I like to support my friends and talk to them and be someone that listens. Not talks, listens. This is her story to share when she feels like sharing it. It is not me. And it is not my obligation to talk to Dianna Russini privately on the phone and then share it with a radio audience that she doesn’t want me to share it with, because it’s not my story to tell. It’s her story to tell on her timeline.”

As things stand, Russini has not yet given a public statement on the controversy. Instead, she has largely retreated from the public eye. Meanwhile, Vrabel has returned to the Patriots’ duty following the 2026 NFL Draft.

NFL Insider gets honest about Mike Vrabel’s job security amid Dianna Russini controversy

Mike Vrabel has been seen a lot since all of this has unfolded due to his role with the New England Patriots. The NFL closed its inquiry on April 21, 2026, confirming that the incident was a “personal matter” and did not violate the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Vrabel did admit to having “difficult conversations” with his family and the organization. As a result, he missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft to prioritize his family and begin counseling. To an extent, Vrabel did suffer from the controversy, but his job remains safe, and according to NFL insider John McClain, the Russini saga would not have any impact on it.

“His future’s not in jeopardy,” said McClain during his appearance on Outkick Hot Mic. “What’s going to happen? Is Robert Kraft going to fire him for morals? I don’t think so. And the fans love him, the media loves him… He did a great coaching job last season. There’s a lot of guys who have survived and thrived after extramarital affairs. It’s going to affect her far more than it’ll affect him.”

Mike Vrabel joined the New England Patriots by replacing Jared Mayo in 2025. In his debut season as the head coach of the Patriots, they finished the season with a 14-3 record. The Patriots also became the AFC East divisional champions and even reached the Super Bowl LX final. However, the Seattle Seahawks stood strong against them in that game, defeating the Patriots 29-13. But the dominating run among the divisional rivals was enough for Vrabel to build his respect among the players.

“We’re here for Coach [Vrabel]. We love Coach,” said Patriots QB Drake Maye. “What he does for us, what he’s done for us this past year, you can’t speak into words. Thankful he’s our head coach. And I know he’s dealing with some stuff in the field, and out of the coaching world, but we’re here for him, and I know he’s gonna come back.”

As the 2026 season approaches, Vrabel will likely try to set aside the distractions from his controversy with Dianna Russini, relying on the strong support of his players to guide the Patriots toward another successful season.