Dianna Russini breaks silence on Mike Vrabel photo scandal, reveals six months of family struggles as she plans comeback
She said it also affected her 94-year-old grandmother, cousins and relatives she had not spoken to in years. Because it made a painful time harder, speaking to People, Russini said she and her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, deleted their X accounts and stopped reading coverage. Because it wasn’t helping us heal, once we realized nothing was going to stop this, it became unhealthy for us to read it. “Because if you just do the work and I hope to continue working at a high level, that’s all that’s going to matter.
In an interview with People, the former NFL reporter called the past six months “heartbreaking” and said the early days felt like “a nightmare. ” She discussed her family’s support and plans to return to sports media after leaving The Athletic in April 2026. “The lies became so out of control,” she said. “The absolute best part of this situation has been the loyalty the NFL has shown me,” Russini told People. “I really hope that I can be someone other women see: you can pick yourself up, get back in there and not be afraid,” she said.
Dianna Russini has spoken publicly for the first time about the photo scandal involving New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. “This was a runaway train, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was piling on and adding to what we were already dealing with. NFL owners, general managers, agents, coaches and players helped her stay connected to football. Some called or texted to encourage her return. “They checked in with me almost daily while I wasn’t working to make sure that I was staying connected to football, to check on me as a person and to just see how I was doing. She now thinks more about how a story affects a player’s team, organization and family. She hopes her return encourages other women facing setbacks. And I hope that quiets the noise.”