Reporter Dianna Russini's involvement in the Associated Press's prestigious NFL Honors awards appears uncertain following allegations of an affair with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Russini, who has been a voter in the AP poll since 2022, may have cast her final ballot this year, according to reports.
The controversy surrounding Russini and Vrabel escalated after images emerged of them together at an adults-only resort in Arizona. Both parties, who are married, have denied having an affair. The Athletic, Russini's former employer, launched an investigation into the relationship after the photos gained traction. Further images reportedly showed the pair kissing in a New York City bar in 2020.
This situation has led to calls for the AP to release past voting ballots to examine potential conflicts of interest. NFL podcaster Tony Farmer criticized the AP for not releasing the ballots, specifically questioning whether Russini voted for Vrabel, who won Coach of the Year in 2025. Farmer suggested that if Russini did not vote for Vrabel for Assistant Coach of the Year in a previous year, her continued participation could be difficult to explain.
During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers criticized ESPN, Russini's former employer, for its handling of the scandal. Rodgers questioned the network's silence on the matter, particularly if Russini was an MVP or Coach of the Year voter, suggesting such relationships could influence reporting and awards.
When asked for clarification on Russini's voting status for the current year, the AP provided a statement indicating that the composition of the voting panel changes regularly. "The makeup of AP's NFL awards voting panel changes regularly as sports reporters change positions and organizations, and this year is no different," a spokesperson said, stopping short of directly confirming or denying Russini's participation.
According to Page Six, Russini is reportedly considering offers to return to covering the NFL beat and intends to share her account of the events on her own terms. The 43-year-old reporter has reportedly turned down numerous interview requests.
An investigation by The Athletic concluded that Russini was "noncompliant" with the outlet's standards due to her relationship with Vrabel, stating it was a breach that should have been disclosed. However, the probe found limited evidence of bias in her reporting, with editorial director Mike Semel noting no clear link that she used her platform to promote Vrabel or his teams. Semel did acknowledge instances where Russini wrote "glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable."
Russini previously covered the Tennessee Titans for ESPN when Vrabel was their head coach. Vrabel later moved to coach the New England Patriots. Vrabel issued an apology before the NFL Draft and attended counseling, missing the final day of the event. He led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season with the team.