NFL Makes Mike Vrabel Disciplinary Call After Dianna Russini Photo Scandal
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Credit: Jeff Schear/Getty; Thearon W. Henderson/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Mike Vrabel is not facing any disciplinary action by the New England Patriots following his photo scandal
- Vrabel, 50, was seen in published photos hugging and holding hands with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, 43
- Russini resigned from her job last week amid an ongoing investigation by her employer
Mike Vrabel is not facing any disciplinary action in the wake of his photo scandal involving NFL reporter Dianna Russini, a league official confirms to PEOPLE.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tells PEOPLE that the New England Patriots coach is not under investigation for any violation regarding the league’s personal conduct policy.
The coach, 50, has been in the spotlight since earlier this month, when the New York Post published photos in which he was seen hugging and holding hands with Russini, who was formerly the senior NFL insider at The Athletic.
Vrabel and Russini, who are separately married, denied any wrongdoing.
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Mike VrabelCredit: Timothy T Ludwig/Getty
"These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response," Vrabel said in a statement to the New York Post on Tuesday, April 7.
Russini told the outlet: "The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues."
The NFL's personal conduct policy explicitly outlines the behavior it desires from non-NFL players.
“We must endeavor at all times to be people of high character; we must show respect for others inside and outside our workplace; and we must conduct ourselves in ways that favorably reflect on ourselves, our teams, the communities we represent, and the NFL,” the NFL’s personal conduct policy states.
In addition, the policy does not condone “conduct that is illegal, violent, dangerous, or irresponsible [that] puts innocent victims at risk, damages the reputation of others associated with the game, and undercuts public respect and support for the NFL.”
Russini, 43, resigned from her job on Tuesday, April 14, one week after the seven photos, taken at the Ambiente Sedona resort in Arizona, were published. In various images, she and Vrabel held hands, hugged and sat poolside.
While the reporter stepped away from her job amid an ongoing investigation by The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times, Vrabel is continuing “business as usual,” on the eve of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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"Very involved. Business as usual,” Eliot Wolf, vice president for player personnel with the Patriots, said last week about Vrabel. “He’s been in there with us a little more than he was last year."
Wolf added, "He's been contributing. He's watched a ton of the players."
Read the original article on People