Inside the Dianna Russini investigation and his “We’re moved on” response What did The Athletic really find about Mike Vrabel?
After The Athletic released its findings on Thursday, September 3, the New England Patriots head coach was asked about the report during a press conference. His comments came as New England prepares for its season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on September 9. For Vrabel, the focus is now on his team and getting ready for the start of the 2026 NFL season. He examined 903 stories published under her byline, along with dozens of videos and hundreds of podcast episodes, according to the report. He also interviewed 14 members of The Athletic’s staff who had worked with Russini.
Vrabel gave a short answer, saying, “We’re moved on,” before turning his attention to the Patriots’ upcoming season and their preparation for Seattle. “No, I don’t have any reaction, no,” Vrabel told reporters. “We’re moved on,” he continued. “We’re moved on and focused on Seattle and focused on the Patriots and focused on getting better this week,” he said. “I try to just say that I’ve moved on, and excited about this opportunity here as we start this season,” Vrabel said.
Mike Vrabel has made it clear that he does not want to revisit the controversy involving former NFL reporter Dianna Russini. The investigation did not establish the exact nature of Russini and Vrabel’s relationship. More importantly, the review did not find evidence that Russini’s reporting showed favoritism toward Vrabel or that he gave her information that other NFL reporters could not access. Semel carried out a broad review of Russini’s work. The review found that Russini’s reporting was not mainly based on Vrabel. Her sources were spread across the NFL, and the investigation did not find signs that her work depended on her relationship with the Patriots coach.


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