Dianna Russini once received an apology from the wife of an NFL GM after she made a bold, public post calling the reporter out during her coverage of the Washington Redskins
15:43 ET, 08 May 2026Updated 15:43 ET, 08 May 2026
The wife of former Washington Redskins General Manager Scot McCloughan apologized to Dianna Russini
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The wife of former Washington Redskins General Manager Scot McCloughan apologized to Dianna Russini(Image: 2016 The Washington Post)
Jessica McCloughlan, the wife of former Washington Commanders general manager Scot McCloughlan, was once forced to apologize after making a salacious claim to Dianna Russini.
Russini is currently navigating a viral scandal with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, with allegations that they engaged in an affair over several years. Both Russini and Vrabel are married to other partners, but were pictured holding hands at a resort in Arizona earlier this year.
That was the tip of the iceberg, as more photos dating back to 2020 began to surface, and Russini resigned from her role as NFL insider with The Athletic. However, Russini faced a crude allegation in 2015, which was later retracted, and an apology was issued.
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Russini was one of the highest-profile NFL insiders during her time with The Athletic, but previously worked for ESPN. She joined the network in 2015 and quickly got a major scoop as a quarterback change occurred in Washington.
Then known as the Redskins, the organization decided to replace Robert Griffin III and name Kirk Cousins as the new starting quarterback. Russini broke the story, and it led to an unexpected tweet from the wife of the Redskins' GM.
McCloughlan wrote, "Please tell us how many B-'s you had to give to get this story. And did they laugh at you before or after?"
Former NFL GM Scot McCloughan and his wife Jessica
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Former NFL GM Scot McCloughan and his wife Jessica(Image: 2017 The Washington Post)
Initially, the account was claimed to be fake, and the Redskins denied any association with McCloughlan's wife. However, she later apologized with a lengthy statement.
"I deeply apologize for the disparaging remarks about an ESPN reporter on my personal Twitter account," she said. "The comment was unfounded and inappropriate, and I have the utmost respect for both the reporter and ESPN.
"I regret that my actions have brought undeserved negative attention to the Redskins organization and its leadership. My comments in no way reflect the opinions or attitudes of the organization and I regret that my behavior has in any way negatively impacted the team and its loyal fan base."
Russini joined ESPN in 2015 and left for The Athletic in 2023
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Russini joined ESPN in 2015 and left for The Athletic in 2023(Image: Getty Images)
ESPN stood by Russini throughout the incident, which came just months after she was hired.
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"Dianna is an excellent reporter who should never have to be subjected to such vulgar comments," ESPN said. "We are obviously extremely disappointed by today's developments."
Russini then worked at ESPN until August 2023, when she agreed to become The Athletic's lead NFL insider. However, she resigned last month after several photos surfaced of her and Vrabel, including ones from 2020 at a bar.
It's been speculated that Russini will soon tell her side of the story after Vrabel released statements accepting accountability and expressing regret for his actions. Vrabel continues to coach the Patriots, while Russini is no longer employed in a media role.