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What Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said about viral photos with NFL reporter
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable," he said.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and NFL insider Dianna Russini have both issued statements about photos of themselves at a resort in Arizona that ran in the New York Post’s gossip column, Page Six.
One photo shows Vrabel and Russini holding hands. Another shows them sharing a light hug. They were also photographed spending time in a hot tub together.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said, per the New York Post. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Russini provided a statement to the New York Times saying that the photos, which only showed her and Vrabel, did not reflect the entire group that they were socializing with.
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“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” Russini said. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Russini is a senior NFL insider for the Athletic, a publication that is owned by the New York Times. Before joining The Athletic, Russini spent eight years at ESPN where she hosted SportsCenter before transitioning to NFL beat coverage. She had previously covered the Titans while Vrabel was head coach there.
The Athletic’s executive editor, Steven Ginsburg, also told the Times that the photos painted an incomplete picture of the situation.
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“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Ginsburg said. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”
According to the New York Post, the interaction happened at Ambiente, a boutique resort in Sedona, Arizona. Vrabel and Russini reportedly had breakfast there and spent about an hour together near at the pool.
The Post also reported that Vrabel and Russini were also seen together later that night on a private rooftop.
Patriots VP of communications Stacey James told the Globe that the team had no further comment beyond what Vrabel said publicly.
The Patriots are set to begin their offseason workout program on April 20th.
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