The scandal concerning Dianna Russini and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has emerged as one of the biggest storylines in the 2026 NFL offseason, but one key theory has been dispelled
16:13 ET, 07 May 2026Updated 16:13 ET, 07 May 2026
Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic in the wake of her alleged affair with Mike Vrabel
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Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic in the wake of her alleged affair with Mike Vrabel(Image: Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
One of the wildest threads from the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel affair has been speculation that her son was named after the New England Patriots head coach.
Last month, Vrabel and Russini — a prominent NFL reporter — were spotted holding hands and hugging at the adults-only Ambiente Resort in Sedona, Arizona. Both parties, each married to different people with children, denied any wrongdoing.
While Vrabel escaped NFL punishment, Russini resigned from her role at The Athletic as the story went viral. More information has now come out, with their relationship seemingly going back six years while the pair also rented a boat together while Russini was pregnant with her son.
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As part of their own investigation, The Athletic sought more evidence to substantiate her claims — which Russini never provided. She offered to have her bosses speak to Vrabel, but the company declined.
The 43-year-old has remained silent since the allegations first emerged, aside from a short statement she posted on social media to announce her resignation. Hoping to shift the conversation and reframe the narrative, Russini is reportedly looking to give her side of the story in a tell-all interview.
One thing she won’t have to confirm is the theory that her son is named after Vrabel. Ever since rumors of the affair emerged, one theory is that Russini’s son is named after Vrabel, since both are named Michael.
This theory began to gain steam when it became clear that the two had taken a private boat trip in June 2021, just weeks before she welcomed her child with her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt. While Russini did name her son after a key Michael in her life, it was not the Patriots' head coach.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is embroiled in a scandal involving NFL reporter Dianna Russini, which may have spanned up to six years
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is embroiled in a scandal involving NFL reporter Dianna Russini, which may have spanned up to six years(Image: Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Instead, she picked the name early in her pregnancy to honor her older brother, Michael Russini. It was just a cruel irony that it was the same name as Vrabel. According to TMZ, Russini named both of her kids after family members; her second son shares the same name as her grandfather.
Vrabel, meanwhile, announced his intention to attend counseling during the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite the scandalous nature of the affair, both Goldschmidt and Jen Vrabel, Mike’s wife, do not seem to have immediate plans to file for divorce.
The scandal has derailed Vrabel — and the Patriots’ — preparations for the 2026 NFL season. Last year, in his first campaign as head coach of the AFC East franchise, Vrabel turned the Patriots around from a 4-13 record to the Super Bowl.
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The Patriots' offseason program will continue with Rookie Minicamp this weekend, followed by OTAs from May 27 to June 11, and mandatory minicamp on June 15-17.