Did Dianna Russini rent a boat with Mike Vrabel when she was pregnant with her first child in June of 2021?
TMZ is reporting Russini and Vrabel did exactly that for two or three hours in June of 2021, when he was still coaching the Tennessee Titans and she was reporting on him for ESPN. A source with knowledge of the rental said Vrabel and Russini were the only people aboard the boat, and that claim has been supported by a signed company waiver reviewed by TMZ.
Vrabel and Russini reportedly hesitated to have their pictures taken with onlookers that day. According to TMZ, she declined to have a photo taken with fans, while he agreed on the condition that the picture not be posted online.
Interestingly, Russini would give birth to her first of two sons in August of 2021, according to online records.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Russini and Vrabel for comment.
Rumors of an affair between the two began in March when the New York Post published photos of the NFL insider and current New England Patriots head coach hugging and hanging poolside at an adults-only Arizona resort.
Dianna Russini has covered Mike Vrabel since his days as Tennessee Titans head coach
Russini and husband Kevin Goldschmidt were married in New Jersey in September of 2020
Although both initially denied cheating on their respective spouses, Vrabel has since apologized for his ‘actions,’ while stopping short of specifically admitting to an affair. The married father of two adult sons briefly stepped away from the Patriots during April’s draft to go through counseling with family.
The Post has since published photos of Vrabel and Russini enjoying breakfast together at the aforementioned Arizona resort and other pictures showing the two kissing at a New York bar, reportedly, in March of 2020.
She and her husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, were married in September of 2020.
Furthermore, The Daily Mail has also published photos of Vrabel with Russini at a Biloxi, Mississippi casino in January of 2024.
The Russini-Vrabel fallout is still permeating the NFL and The Athletic, where she worked until her recent resignation.
Steven Ginsberg, the executive editor at website, finally addressed the matter during a late-April meeting with staff by admitting his messaging on the matter could have been better.
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, for over two decades and they have two children
He also mentioned the investigation into Russini’s reporting that was previously reported by The Daily Mail and other outlets. That probe is being led by standards and editorial quality editor Mike Semel and it is expected to be lengthy, according to FOS.
Ginsberg did not take questions after addressing staff and spoke for about 10 minutes, according to Front Office Sports
Another source told The Daily Mail that the speech was closer to five minutes and included Ginsberg’s compliments to The Athletic staff for their recent work.
The New York Times declined to comment to The Daily Mail for this story.
Similar to Ginsberg, Vrabel has also done an about-face after initially calling the resort photos ‘laughable’ in a statement to the Post.
Patriots’ billionaire owner Robert Kraft said they are fully supportive of Vrabel on Thursday
In April, Vrabel addressed media and announced he would miss the third day of the NFL Draft to attend a counselling session with his family.
‘I understand that there are questions, but I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about, my family, this football team, the organization and our fans,’ Vrabel said prior to the first round of the NFL Draft.
‘That’s going to start, that has started, and that’ll continue this weekend and it’ll continue for however long it takes for me to give them and to complete that promise of giving them the best version of me possible.
‘My priorities are my family and this football team – and in that order – and there’s a balance there that I am going to create. My family needs me this weekend and that’s where I’ll be.’
Vrabel has been married to his wife Jen since 1999.