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Page Six released photos on Tuesday showing New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL reporter Dianna Russini holding hands, hugging and spending time together at a "luxurious" Arizona hotel.
The reports and photos sparked speculation of whether the coach and reporter, who are both married, were involved in a relationship, spending time together one-on-one.
Vrabel and Russini have both released statements to Page Six denying any relationship beyond being friends, calling the interactions "innocent."
Here's what to know about the relationship rumors following Vrabel and Russini.
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Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini relationship rumors
Reports from The New York Post and Page Six on Tuesday included photos of Vrabel and Russini recently "holding hands and hugging at a luxurious hotel."
The Patriots head coach and longtime NFL reporter, formerly a "SportsCenter" anchor and now a senior insider for The Athletic, were seen "two weekends ago" at the Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona. Sources told Page Six in the report that Vrabel and Russini "had breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant," then spent "a leisurely hour or so together at the pool and lounging side-by-side in a hot tub." Additionally, later that evening, the two were seen together "on the private rooftop of one of the hotel’s bungalows."
In the photos, Vrabel and Russini were seen hugging, holding hands and lying together by the hotel pool.
According to Page Six, friends of both Russini and Vrabel said that day, Russini was staying at the hotel during a hiking trip with two friends, while Vrabel and a friend "drove up to Sedona for the day," then went back to their own hotel around two hours away "after hanging out with Russini and her gang."
Three sources, however, also told Page Six that they did not see anybody else with Vrabel and Russini. There were no others seen in the photos released.
Vrabel had reportedly been in the area for a scouting event at Arizona State University on Friday, March 27, then shortly after, both Vrabel and Russini were at the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix for the annual NFL Competition Committee meeting.
On April 10, The New York Post and Page Six reported that the New York Times is investigating the situation, and Russini will not be reporting for the foreseeable future.
"After Page Six reached out to Dianna for comment, the Athletic immediately began an investigation," a source told The New York Post. "While the apparent conduct in the photos raised questions for [the Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg] and leadership at the Athletic, an initial review suggested the images provided lacked context, specifically the presence of a larger group of friends...[but] new details from the Page Six report and information from the investigation raised additional concerns that are now being reviewed further. The investigation is ongoing."
Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini photos
Below are the photos of Vrabel and Russini released by The New York Post and Page Six.
New England Patriots’ Mike Vrabel and top NY Times NFL reporter Dianna Russini hold hands and hug at luxury hotel https://t.co/kgk6uoumOU pic.twitter.com/J2dtb6HuyA
— New York Post (@nypost) April 7, 2026Mike Vrabel statement
In a statement to Page Six, Vrabel said his relationship with Russini is "innocent."
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable," Vrabel told Page Six. This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Dianna Russini statement
Russini also released a statement to Page Six, saying the released pictures were not representative of the full group at the hotel.
“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day," Russini told Page Six. "Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Additionally, the executive editor of The Athletic, Steven Ginsberg, said in a statement that the photos were "misleading."
“These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people," Ginsberg said, per Page Six. "Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”
Is Mike Vrabel married?
Vrabel has been married for over 26 years.
Who is Mike Vrabel's wife?
Mike Vrabel's wife is Jen Vrabel. The two met at Ohio State as student-athletes, and they have two sons together.
Is Dianna Russini married?
Russini has been married since 2020.
Who is Dianna Russini's husband?
Dianna Russini's husband is Kevin Goldschmidt. He is an executive for Shake Shack.
Russini and Goldschmidt have two children together.
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