NEWSESPN Calls Out NFL Coach Mike Vrabel and Reporter Dianna Russini's Scandal With Savage 'Titanic' Meme: Watch

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were mocked on ESPN following their headline-making photo scandal.
May 4 2026, Updated 12:01 p.m. ET
Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were mocked by former athletes on ESPN amid their bombshell scandal.
During the Sunday, May 3, episode of Inside the NBA, hosts Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson Jr. poked fun at the duo over rumors they had an affair.
In a segment titled, “Gone Fishing,” which teased teams who were eliminated from the NBA playoffs, a group of athletes and random celebrities stood on a boat in a hilarious meme. On the front of the boat, the New England Patriots head coach, 50, was Photoshopped behind the journalist, 43, doing the iconic Titanic pose.
Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel were Photoshopped on the iconic 'Titanic' pose.
“You guys are...” Barkley started.
“Our buddy Bill Simmons is in there, John Krasinski, Mark Wahlberg,” Johnson continued.
“Who are the two people at the front?” Smith inquired about Vrabel and Russini. “I don’t know them.”
“Stop it,” Barkley replied. “Stop it.”
“Ben Affleck and Matt Damon on there, [Jayson] Tatum and [Jaylen] Brown. That’s all I see on that boat. I don’t see anything else,” Johnson concluded.
Dianna Russini Resigned From Her Job

Dianna Russini resigned from 'The Athletic.'
Vrabel was spotted holding hands with Russini at a resort in Arizona on March 28, even though both of them are married to other people.
Amid the photo scandal, the Senior NFL Insider for The Athletic decided to resign.
“Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30,” she wrote in a letter obtained by Page Six. “I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”
- Who Are Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini? Breaking Down the Viral Affair Rumors Involving the Patriots Coach and NFL Reporter
- Mike Vrabel Addresses Controversial PDA-Packed Photos With Reporter Dianna Russini After Scandal Explodes: I've Had 'Some Difficult Conversations'
- Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson's Romance Is 'Concerning,' Admits Coach's Pal Charles Barkley: 'He’s Got to Be Very Careful Right Now'
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Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were caught holding hands despite being married to other people.
Jon “Stugotz” Weiner offered Russini a new job whenever she’s ready to return to work.
“I did say if The Athletic fired her, I would hire her,” the radio host shared on the Friday, May 1, episode of his “Stugotz & Company” podcast. “They didn’t fire her. She stepped down from The Athletic, and the offer holds forever."
He added, “If Dianna Russini decides one day, three months from now, a year from now, two years from now, that she wants to get back into this game, she has a place right here.”
Mike Vrabel Responds to Photo Scandal

Mike Vrabel preached the importance of 'making good decisions' during a recent press conference.
While Russini’s future remains in question, Vrabel is gearing up for a busy season with the New England Patriots. He addressed the controversy during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, April 21, but didn't admit to ever cheating on his wife.
“I understand I could have addressed you sooner, but it was important to me I have a conversation with the players, which I did yesterday very candidly,” he said, noting he had “some difficult conversations” with people he “care[s] about.”
Vrabel facilitated “positive and productive” discussions with his “family” and the New England Patriots organization.

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini seemed cozy in viral photos from Arizona in March.
“We believe in order to be successful, you have to make good decisions,” he continued. “That starts with me. You never want your actions to negatively affect the team … or be the cause of a distraction….What I can promise you is my family, this organization, this team, the staff, the coaches and the fans most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward.”


