The Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel (alleged) SCANDAL is now on Day 3, with no end in sight. 

The two spoke about it after the poolside pictures went viral. They both denied anything nefarious happening. And now, we haven’t really heard a peep from anyone of importance since. 

Until, of course, 97.5 the Fanatic in Philadelphia had Adam Schefter on their show Wednesday, and absolutely GRILLED ESPN’s top insider about the whole thing. 

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Broadcaster Adam Schefter of ESPN’s Monday Night Football Countdown is seen on the sideline prior to the NFL International Series game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, on Nov. 21, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

And I mean grilled. Poor Schefty. Or, I guess, not poor Schefty? I don’t know. He chose to go on the show, so I assume he knew what was coming. 

Still, this is 10 straight minutes of absolute peppering, and 10 minutes of hemming and hawing from Schefter. 

Take a look! 

Adam Schefter did his best, but the Big Js are taking on water 

Thoughts? First impressions? 

I don’t know. I think it’s fine, if we’re being honest. Again, what do we expect Adam Schefter to say here? At least he said … something? The Big Js are being real quiet on this one. Too quiet. They never shut up, and now all of a sudden nobody is really talking about it in the media? Seems fishy to me. 

Now, Schefter didn’t really give us anything of substance. Like, at all.  

“I didn’t report it. I saw it like everybody else did. And uh, I guess my thought would be, I don’t know what’s right. I don’t know what’s wrong. Uh, I feel bad for the families involved. It’s unfortunate, you know? Um, I know both individuals. 

“Um, and yeah, I guess my first thought would be they went to the families of the people involved and, you know, I just wish everybody the best and hope everything works out with everybody.”

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DEFENDS MIKE VRABEL, NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER OVER LEAKED PHOTOS

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel walks on the field before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Moving stuff, Adam. Poetic. Quite the wordsmith! 

Again, I’m not sure what I’d say here, either. Russini isn’t an ESPN employee, so Adam certainly had runway to talk about this, and he sort of clammed up and kicked the can down the road every time these guys asked him about it. 

Obviously, Russini used to work at ESPN, so she and Schefter go way back. He probably doesn’t want to break some sort of Big J code by dragging her, which I understand. 

But, let me just remind everyone here, that the Big Js LOVE to act holier-than-thou … when it’s convenient for them. They have no problem speaking up when they have the chance to virtue-signal about something, as long as it fits their narrative. 

Remember the Liam Coen press conference incident back in January after the Jags got bounced from the playoffs? The sweet old lady reporter from some small Duval newspaper with a circulation of 10 told Liam Cohen how great he was after the season, and all the Big Js FREAKED out. 

They acted like she had just committed murder. They wanted her banished from the beat FOREVER. 

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Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

And now, three months later, when a fellow Big J is caught taking a swim with an NFL head coach at a romantic resort, they’re all quiet? 

OK. Sure thing!

PS: the tampering question in this interview was among the dumber questions in the history of time. I’m with Schefter on that one. Unfathomably stupid question. 

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Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy took to the defense of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and New York Times/The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini.

Photos originally published by the New York Post’s Page Six showed the coach and journalist holding hands, hugging and sitting in a pool in bathing suits at a resort bungalow in Sedona, Arizona. While a lot of people have been highly critical of Vrabel and Russini, McCoy took no issue with it.

“I like Mike, I love Mike. I mind my business. They work together,” McCoy told TMZ Sports.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back LeSean McCoy runs with the football against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2021. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)

“Everybody makes something big out of everything. He’s a big-time coach, he’s a big-time player. He was just in the Super Bowl, they got something to talk about. That’s what happened.”

“I ain’t see nothing wrong with it.”

Both Vrabel and Russini are married, and both denied any wrongdoing. Vrabel married his wife, Jen, in 1999, and they have two sons together. The 50-year-old coach said the interaction was completely innocent.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel told the New York Post. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

EMMITT SMITH GIVES ADVICE TO NFL HOPEFUL SON WHO ONCE ADMITTED TO FEELING PRESSURE OF LIVING UP TO FAMILY NAME

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Russini, who married her husband Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020 and they have two sons together, said the photos misrepresented what actually occurred.

“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues,” Russini told the New York Post.

Vrabel took the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season as the Patriots head coach and won NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.

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Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Russini, 43, joined the The Athletic in 2023, leaving ESPN after over eight years.

McCoy played 12 seasons in the NFL. He spent six with the Philadelphia Eagles, four seasons with the Buffalo Bills, one with the Kansas City Chiefs, and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 37-year-old won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs in 2019 and the Buccaneers in 2020. In 170 games, McCoy ran for 11,102 yards with 73 touchdowns, while catching 518 passes for 3,898 yards and 16 touchdowns.

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Photos of Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini interlacing their fingers together at a luxury hotel has spawned a social media trend poking fun at their interaction.

Page Six exclusively obtained photos of the New England Patriots head coach and the top NFL reporter holding hands and hugging two weekends ago at the Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona. Vrabel told us the interaction was “completely innocent,” while Russini told us they were in a group of six people “hanging out during the day.”

Barstool Sports’ “The Yak” podcast hosts Big Cat and Kate hilariously interlocked their fingers for an outdoor picture to recreate Vrabel and Russini’s pose on Wednesday’s episode.

“See, that’s like normal,” Big Cat joked. “That’s totally normal. What the f–k, guys.”

“We do this all the time,” he added, while Kate cracked, “That’s two friends talking ball.”

Big Cat explained the photos to their fellow podcast hosts, sharing that he and Kate wanted to test out the pose for themselves to see if it felt awkward, and admitted it felt “weird.”

“It’s tough,” Kate commented.

They also copied the pose while sitting at a desk and looking at each other.

Big Cat also joked on X, “Sometimes you end up on a private rooftop in a beautiful setting with interlocked fingers. Just friends interlocking fingers. I interlock with my boys all the time. Hey wanna lock up real quick? S—t like that. Normal things of that nature.”

Writer and producer Mark Blutman also interlaced his fingers with actor Jerry O’Connell for a funny pic, sharing on X, “New socially accepted intimate behavior between friends has been unlocked. People free to finger lock without shame.”

Social media has been poking fun at the viral photos of Vrabel and Russini, with one X user joking, “She was probably explaining some new age crystal bulls—t or Vrabel was maybe demonstrating pass blocking techniques this is a perfectly normal interaction.”

A Page Six spy told us that the pair — both married to other people — had breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant around 10:30 a.m. on March 28 before spending a leisurely hour or so together at the pool and lounging side-by-side in a hot tub.

Photos show the two hugging at sunset on a private rooftop of one of the hotel’s bungalows, and interlocking their fingers together as they stood face-to-face. The spy said they saw the pair briefly dance together.

Three other eyewitnesses told us that they did not see anyone else with Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43.

But in a statement Vrabel told us: “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

And Russini said: “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

Super Bowl champion Stephon Gilmore announced on Thursday he was retiring from the NFL after 13 seasons in the league.

Gilmore, 35, made the announcement in a post on Instagram. He shared several highlights of his career from his days in college and through the NFL.

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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore defends against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Jan. 13, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

“As a young, scrappy kid from Rock Hill, South Carolina with humble beginnings, the eldest of 6 – you gave me focus, opportunity, strength, and friends to last a lifetime,” the captioned the collage.

“From my first game with Finley Road Falcons to two Super Bowls, multiple Pro Bowls, and a Defensive Player of the Year Award, you taught me the invaluable lesson of working hard and believing in myself.”

He thanked his family and coaches for their support throughout his career.

NFL QUARTERBACK CHRIS STREVELER RETIRES AT 31

New England Patriots defensive back Stephon Gilmore stands on the field before a game against the Washington Redskins at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on Aug. 9, 2018. (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

“And to the fans—thank you for your support. I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” he added.

The Buffalo Bills selected Gilmore with the No. 10 overall pick of the 2012 draft out of South Carolina. He played five seasons with the Bills and earned his first Pro Bow election in his final year there in 2016.

Gilmore emerged as a superstar defensive back with the New England Patriots. In 2018, he was in the secondary when the Patriots won the Super Bowl. He led the NFL with six interceptions in 2019 as he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

He then played for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings in the final four years of his career. He didn’t play in 2025.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore defends against the New England Patriots at New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Oct. 30, 2016. (Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports)

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He finishes his career with 617 tackles, 32 interceptions and two interceptions returned for a touchdown. He was a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro selection.

The 2026 NFL owners meetings in Phoenix are underway, and among the discussions is bound to be whether an 18th regular-season game should be added to the schedule at some point. 

Two owners, New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft and Indianapolis Colts’ Carlie Irsay-Gordon, are all for it. 

However, there is a key caveat Kraft would be in place. 

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Robert Kraft and Carlie Irsay-Gordon are two NFL owners who believe an 18th game could be added, but with caveats. (Getty Images)

Kraft reportedly told media in Phoenix that he is in favor of an 18th regular-season game, but he wants there to be a second bye week for teams instead of the standard one week. 

Also, Kraft’s “conditions,” according to The33rdTeam’s Ari Meirov was removing one preseason game, which brings the total to two per season, and making every single NFL team play at least one international game each season. 

As for Irsay-Gordon, she pointed to the fact that not every team gets an even number of home games in today’s NFL under a 17-game schedule. But she also agrees with Kraft that preseason should be shortened. 

BILLS STAR DION DAWKINS EXPLAINS HIS ‘COUNTER’ TO POTENTIAL NFL 18TH GAME: ‘CAREERS ARE ONLY GETTING SHORTER’

“Preseason, is, as far as the fan product goes, I know the commissioner’s been open that it’s not the best product that we have,” she explained, per the Indianapolis Star. “I would say, for development of our team, I don’t think we can get rid of it.”

While owners want it, the NFL Players’ Association noted at the Super Bowl earlier this year that their side has “no appetite” for an 18th regular-season game. 

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft smiles before the NFL 2025 game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 19. (Kara Durrette/Getty Images)

Now that JC Tretter was elected the PA’s executive director, negotiations about an 18th game, as well as a new media rights contract, could be ongoing. While the TV deal could be changed before the start of the 2026 season, Pro Football Talk reported that some support for the league to implement an 18th game could come as soon as the 2027 campaign. 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has noted in the past that the 18th game is “not a given,” though owners like Kraft, Irsay, and likely others see it coming sooner than later. 

Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins said in a recent interview to Fox News Digital that he feels “it’s going to happen either way.”

He just wants to make sure players like himself are taken care of properly if that is the case, especially from a financial lens.

Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo Bills runs onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium on Nov. 2, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

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“Our contracts aren’t fully guaranteed. There’s good players, there’s average players, there’s players that are just making it by. As long as guys are taken care of the way they’re supposed to, this is our life. We’re athletes, and not that I’m here for it, it’s going to happen either way – [an] 18th game. And then 20 years later, guess what? We’re talking about a 19th, then we’ll be talking about a 20th.… Then it’s like, ‘Yeah, we are combat athletes all year long.’ But who knows.”

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The New England Patriots were supposed to be “mid,” as Rob Gronkowski told Fox News Digital, but instead, they looked like the Pats of yesteryear.

New England stunned the football world with a 14-3 record and going all the way to the Super Bowl, led by second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

Sure, New England perhaps benefited from an easy schedule in the regular season, and in the playoffs, they faced Jarrett Stidham instead of Bo Nix. The Super Bowl was not pretty, as they took a beating from the Seattle Seahawks.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman raises his hands in celebration with tight end Rob Gronkowski after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Danny Amendola during the third quarter of the NFL divisional playoff football game at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015. (Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images)

But Gronkowski and one of his former teammates do not believe the 2025 Pats were any sort of fluke.

“What the New England Patriots did this season was incredible. And they’re just going to keep on building on that from here on and going into next year, I’m sure they’re going to be making the playoffs on a consistent basis now,” Gronk told Fox News Digital. “That’s the expectation. They got the quarterback, they got the coach, they got the ownership, they got the foundation now, and you’re going to see them competing at a high level every single year now, which is great for Patriot fans.”

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) warms up prior to the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver.  (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The Patriots have simply built the next generation of success, and Gronkowski sees the same in Infiniti and their newly-released QX65. Gronk and Julian Edelman were on hand at Grand Central Terminal in New York for the unveiling.

KYLIE KELCE REVEALS HER ‘DOS AND DON’TS’ OF TALKING TO POSTPARTUM WOMEN: ‘OH, I’M SO SERIOUS’

“I’ve always been about showing up at big moments and putting in the work behind the scenes, and that’s what stood out to me with the Infiniti. They’re really being intentional about how they move forward and what they’re building next. That’s how you got to be as a football player, as an athlete, you got to be very intentional and in order to stay at the top of your game and be able to compete at a top level. And that’s what Infiniti is doing.”

“I was fortunate enough in my career to play in a lot of big moments, and that’s exactly what you see with the Infiniti,” Edelman added. “How they are so detailed and have a purpose for everything that they do. When you look at the design of the car, the back, the interior’s spacious, very detailed. I mean, it’s just something that’s been so cool. It’s been a fun experience.”

Edelman, too, is “very confident” that the new-look Pats are here to stay.

“Anytime you got a head coach, a quarterback, an owner, and a GM working together and unison, it seems like every free agent they signed had a big moment, big role on the team. There was a lot of great things that happened.”

Edelman did warn Patriots fans to temper expectations just a bit and not expect another 14-win season. However, he does expect a more sound product on the field.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye celebrates with the AFC championship trophy after the AFC championship game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots in Denver, Colorado, on Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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“it’s time on task. You know, time on task with the quarterback. Get him ready with the offensive line, getting that offensive line kind of fixed up and get them working together more. I mean, they’re a young group. So I’m really excited for the Patriots this year,” he said.

“I think they’re for real. They may go out and not have as many wins, but I think they’re going to be a better football team this year.”

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Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and his wife, Ann Michael, are enjoying some R&R in paradise after New England’s 29-13 loss to Seattle in Super Bowl 2026.

As a blizzard engulfed the East Coast this week, the couple escaped to a sunny resort with an ocean view and palm trees, as seen in social media posts from the influencer.

“Alohaaaa,” Ann Michael wrote over a snapshot of the couple, seemingly suggesting they’re in Hawaii.

The Pilates instructor was sporting a purple Hawaiian lei necklace, while the two-time Pro Bowler had a Kukui Nut Lei around his neck.

Ann Michael modeled her stunning green dress by Show Me Your Mumu while on a balcony “with a view,” in another TikTok video.

It’s been a whirlwind year for the couple.

Maye, the Patriots’ third overall pick in 2024, won over New England fans as he helped guide the team to a 14-3 mark in the regular season in coach Mike Vrabel’s first year, just one season after the Patriots went 4-13.

The second-year quarterback, who dealt with a shoulder injury during Super Bowl 2026, and the Patriots were no match for a ferocious Seattle defense in the big game.

Maye was intercepted twice, sacked six times and registered a fumble.

The UNC product, 23, vowed to take the lessons he learned into his future with New England.

Ann Michael also reflected on “this incredible season” in an Instagram post.

“Not how we wanted it to end but still thanking God for this incredible season,” she wrote, including photos from the 2025 season.

“We are blessed to be surrounded by such an amazing group of people, who made this season what it was. This is only the beginning!!”

Ann Michael made a name for herself in New England with her viral holiday baking TikTok videos.

She had a rapid rise on social media during the 2025 regular season, while Maye played lights-out and put himself in the MVP conversation.

Her viral videos landed her a new show, “Beyond Bakemas,” with NBC Sports Boston.

Childhood sweethearts, the couple got married last summer after revealing their engagement in January 2025.