But here we are on the night the NFL season kicks off and, nope, nobody has forgotten.NBC, bless their hearts, didn't forget.New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026.(Ross D.
Franklin/AP)THE ATHLETIC PROBES DIANNA RUSSINI AND MIKE VRABEL RELATIONSHIP WHILE CONSIDERING GETTING IN BED WITH THE NFLOn their pregame show prior to the Patriots season-opening game against the Seattle Seahawks, the relationship between Vrabel and Russini was highlighted.And discussed.MIKE VRABEL STEPPING AWAY FROM PATRIOTS INDEFINITELY TO SEEK COUNSELING AMID DIANNA RUSSINI CONTROVERSY"Remember in the offseason, Vrabel missed the final day of the draft in April to seek counseling after photos were published of him and longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini," host Maria Taylor told the audience before moving on to the acquisition of A.J.Brown and asking if the team is better on paper now.ESPN reporter Dianna Russini looks on during the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Sept.
16, 2018.(Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)This is not what the Patriots want.
It's definitely not what Vrabel wants because he has mostly declined to answer questions on the topic since training camp opened with one exception when he was asked about that family counseling.MIKE VRABEL, ONE MONTH AFTER STARTING 'COUNSELING,' TELLS REPORTERS HE LOVES HIS WIFEVrabel deflected from the topic that time.DIANNA RUSSINI'S RELATIONSHIP WITH MIKE VRABEL IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF STANDARDS, THE ATHLETIC'S REVIEW SAYSHe also declined to address the issue last week when The Athletic published its standards review which found the reporter's relationship with Vrabel was "in clear violation" of the media company's standards."This team has fully moved past all the offseason stuff," analyst Devin McCourty, a former Patriots safety, said on air."The Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini stuff, they're not talkin...