Robert Kraft's Role in Trying to Stop Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel Photo Controversy Revealed

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft reportedly tried to stop the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini controversy from going public.

On March 7, photos leaked of Vrabel and Russini hanging out at an adults-only luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The Athletic put its top NFL insider on leave soon after, but Russini subsequently announced her resignation from the outlet on Apr. 14.

The images were published by the New York Post. In a statement to the outlet, Vrabel called it "a completely innocent interaction." The 43-year-old Russini also denied any wrongdoing, telling them, "The photos don't represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day."

Vrabel didn't face any repercussions from the Patriots. In fact, Kraft reportedly tried to protect his head coach from public scrutiny.

According to In Touch Weekly, Kraft asked people close to him to contact the Post and convince them to "kill the story." But the efforts were all for naught:

"Robert Kraft intervened and had his honchos pressure The Post before they published and tried to kill the story. The Post gave Vrabel a longer time to respond than what is considered industry norms, and Kraft took advantage of that extended timeframe to put pressure on the reporter and the newspaper. A notorious crisis strategist made the call but was unsuccessful in neutering the story."

Vrabel and Russini are both married, which is a significant reason they faced backlash. Vrabel and his wife, Jen, have been married since 1999. Russini tied the knot with Kevin Goldschmit in 2020.

Dianna Russini's Contract Was Close to Expiring

In her resignation letter, Russini noted that her contract with The Athletic was set to expire on June 30. Previous reports indicated that the deal would actually run up in August.

Russini worked at ESPN for eight years (2015 to 2023) before joining The Athletic in August 2023. She was the outlet's top NFL insider during her time there, breaking plenty of notable stories before the likes of Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jay Glazer.

It's anybody's guess now where Russini's future in sports media lies. She's been quiet on social media since posting the resignation letter.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 3:57 PM.