During a live appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Monday, Aaron Rodgers took aim at NFL insider Dianna Russini.
Rodgers calls out media
The Steelers quarterback questioned whether the media had given enough attention to allegations involving Russini, and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, suggesting the reported affair could have broader implications for the NFL.
“There was another scandal this offseason, too, involving a voter for MVP, for Coach of the Year. How much time do you get? Did your networks spend on their work?,” Rodgers asked McAfee.
Presses media accountability
Rodgers continued his criticism by arguing that he believes the issue has not received enough media attention.
Without presenting evidence, he questioned why the matter had not been discussed more widely and referenced Russini’s previous role at ESPN before she joined The Athletic.
“You have literally an individual that maybe used to work at ESPN, that covers our league at the highest level, and there’s a major scandal and it’s just like nobody can f—ing talk about it,” he continued, referring to Russini, who worked at ESPN before joining The Athletic. “What are we even doing here?”
Concerns over voter influence
When one of McAfee’s co-hosts responded that Russini and Vrabel’s “personal lives are personal lives” and reminded Rodgers that he, “of all people should know that,” the Steelers quarterback said his concern was not about private matters themselves, but about whether they could influence league-related decisions if they affected reporting or award voting.
“I understand, but if it’s affecting certain things, if there’s leaks going on, if there’s tampering going on, if that person is also an MVP voter and a coach of the year voter,” Rodgers said before sharing an anecdote about a “bum in Chicago” while discussing his 2021 MVP vote.
He concluded by questioning the influence of media members involved in NFL award voting, asking, “How are we allowing to have these people to have an impact?”
How Vrabel-Russini story unfolded
The controversy intensified after photos surfaced in April showing Vrabel and Russini holding hands at a resort in Arizona.
It grew further when Page Six later published another set of images that it said appeared to show the pair kissing inside a New York City bar in 2020.
Responding to the speculation, Vrabel denied any wrongdoing, telling the New York Post, “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
Russini also disputed the claims, saying, “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.”
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The public attention continued after TMZ published additional photos it alleged showed the 50-year-old Vrabel and the 43-year-old Russini near the dock of a private boat rental business in Putnam County in June 2021.
