A colleague of former NFL insider Dianna Russini has admitted he has found it difficult to watch the scandal involving her and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel unfold in public. The alleged affair between Russini and Vrabel has dominated NFL headlines for over a month, ever since Page Six published photographs of the pair together at an adults-only resort in Arizona.
Since then, additional images have surfaced, and the controversy has continued to escalate week by week. The situation ultimately led to Russini's resignation from The Athletic after the company launched an internal investigation into her conduct.
In a recent appearance on the 'Between the Tackles' podcast, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport revealed that he has taken no pleasure in watching the saga progress between two people he knows well. 'I've never really seen it with people that I know,' Rapoport said. 'And it's really different and, like, not good and sad and just, like, all around.'
Rapoport described the situation as 'much sadder than I ever anticipated.' He added, 'I would not wish anybody on any level to go through anything like everyone involved in this is going through.'
While Russini lost her job as a result of the scandal, Vrabel has faced a different fate. He has reportedly sought counseling in an effort to salvage his marriage, which led him to fly to Utah in late April, causing him to miss the final day of the NFL Draft.
Russini has not made any public statements since her resignation was announced. However, she was recently seen out with her husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, at a bar near Madison Square Garden in Manhattan before a Bruce Springsteen concert. A witness told Daily Mail that the couple appeared to be in good spirits, and their group was lively as they shared drinks and food ahead of the show.
