Dianna Russini’s former podcast co-host has finally addressed the ‘unfortunate’ Mike Vrabel affair scandal that has engulfed the NFL insider in recent weeks.
The pair have been at the center of fierce controversy over the past month after the New York Post first published photos of them fraternizing at an adults-only resort in Arizona at the end of March.
Russini and Vrabel, who are both married with children, initially denied accusations of an affair, only for the New England Patriots head coach to later express regret over the situation and begin counseling.
While Russini eventually stepped down from her job at The Athletic over the scandal, Vrabel remains in charge of New England and has received the full backing of the team after agreeing to seek professional help.
As part of her role with The Athletic, Russini used to co-host the ‘Scoop City’ podcast with former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel. The show took a break in March and was later discontinued when Russini quit.
Speaking about the scandal on Thursday, Daniel told ‘The Jim Rome Show’ on Thursday: ‘Look, that’s something that’s unfortunate in many different ways.
Dianna Russini’s former podcast co-host has finally addressed the Mike Vrabel affair scandal
Russini and Vrabel’s affair scandal has exploded since they were pictured together at a hotel
‘We haven’t really chatted about it. We haven’t done any of that, so I’m going to leave that there. That’s their business.
‘It has turned into quite the assignment of everything, it’s like TMZ is covering it, the Wall Street Journal, all these things are covering it, so I’m sure she’ll land on her feet somewhere and that’s all I’ll really say about that.’
During his NFL career, Daniel served as the backup to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees when the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2010. He also played for the Chiefs, Eagles, Bears, Lions and Chargers before retiring in 2023.
Following the explosive first batch of sordid images, the Post then published more photos of Vrabel and Russini enjoying breakfast together at the aforementioned Arizona resort.
Others showed the two kissing at a New York bar, reportedly, in March of 2020.
Furthermore, the Daily Mail has also published photos of them at a Biloxi, Mississippi, casino in January of 2024.
Russini and her husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, were married in September 2020. Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999.
The scandal took a fresh twist last week when video footage emerged of them arriving for a romantic boat trip that allegedly took place just months before she gave birth to her first son.
Russini and Vrabel reportedly hired a vessel for two or three hours in June 2021, when he was still coaching the Tennessee Titans and she was reporting on him for ESPN.
Russini and husband Kevin Goldschmidt were married in New Jersey in September of 2020
Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, for over two decades and they have two children
A source with knowledge of the rental said Vrabel and Russini were the only people on board, and that claim was supported by a signed company waiver reviewed by TMZ.
Then, The Daily Mail obtained video footage of the couple walking along the dock of a private rental company near a lake in Putnam County, Tennessee. Russini could be seen strolling a few steps ahead of Vrabel.
But it’s clear that Russini is pregnant at the time of the video when she turns around to speak to Vrabel. The pair were dressed for a day on the water, wearing T-shirts and shorts.
Vrabel and Russini were said to be hesitant to have their pictures taken with fans that day. It was also alleged by TMZ that she declined to have a photo taken with fans, while he agreed on the condition that it not be posted online.
Russini went on to give birth to her first of two sons, named Mike, in August 2021. TMZ reported that Russini named him after her brother, Michael Russini, not the now-Patriots coach.
