‘It was a nightmare’: Dianna Russini tells her side of ‘heartbreaking’ time after Mike Vrabel controversy image
Dianna Russini is back in the spotlight for the first time since photos of her and Mike Vrabel holding hands set off a sports media firestorm like few others in recent history. This time, she's hoping things will happen on her terms.
The longtime NFL reporter drew criticism for her myriad intimate interactions with Vrabel dating back to his time at Titans head coach. She eventually resigned from his post at The Athletic, which looked into allegations that Russini and Vrabel were romantically linked in recent years.
Seven months on from the initial photos being published, Russini is on the cusp of a high-profile return. She offered her first public comments on the scandal on Monday. Suffice to say, her response to the controversy had people talking.
Here's what you need to know.
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Dianna Russini opens up about 'heartbreaking' time since Mike Vrabel controversy
Russini summed up her experience during the Vrabel saga plainly, calling it a nightmarish-like time after photos emerged showing Russini and Vrabel holding hands in an Arizona resort.
“The best way to describe what the last six months were like for me is heartbreaking," Russini told People.
“The lies became so out of control. This was a runaway train, and there was nothing I could do to stop it."
Russini and her husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, eventually deleted their X accounts as social media weighed in on what it thought was the nature of her and Vrabel's relationship.
"Once we realized nothing was going to stop this, it became unhealthy for us to read it because it wasn’t helping us heal," Russini said. "It was piling on and adding to what we were already dealing with.”
Both Russini and Vrabel denied having anything other than a professional relationship. In April, Vrabel stepped away from the Patriots to seek counseling for his role in the scandal.
"I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be," Vrabel said. "This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
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Russini has remained adamant that there was nothing untoward about her and Vrabel's relationship. She resigned from The Athletic in April after the publication launched an investigation into her alleged relationship with Vrabel. In September, The Athletic released its findings, stating that Russini's connection with Vrabel amounted to a "clear violation" of the outlet's standards.
Russini, who will return to airwaves on Wednesday, Nov. 11 with her first episode of "The Russini Report" on BetUS TV and produce an accompanying column on the sportsbook's vertical, said she has received support from a host of figures around the NFL, including general managers, head coaches and "star quarterbacks." One player even reaches out to Russini on days when she's headed to work reminding her "to stay strong through hard times."
“The absolute best part of this situation has been the loyalty the NFL has shown me,” Russini says. “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.”
Russini added that she felt her reportage got lost in the shuffle as questions over her credibility abound. She's hoping to use her experience as platform to change the way she interacts with her subjects.
"The way I’m going to approach stories is going to be very different now,” Russini said. “I have an understanding and an empathy that I didn’t have before.
"Now that I’ve been in the center of this attention and understanding that this wasn’t just something that shook me, it affected my 94-year-old grandmother, my cousins, family members I haven’t even spoken to in years. It just had a really lasting effect, and I don’t necessarily know if I ever really thought about that as much as I should."
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