Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini were “all over each other” in a secluded New York City bar, six years before they were caught holding hands and hugging at an Arizona resort.
As seen in exclusive new photos obtained by Page Six, the New England Patriots coach and the NFL reporter were seen together inside the dimly lit Tribeca Tavern in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
They sat near each other while chatting at the bar, and at one point appeared to share a kiss.
“They were kissing and were on top of each other,” a witness told Page Six. “I had a ring on.”
At the time the photos were taken, Vrabel was already married to his wife Jen, while Russini said “I do” to her now-husband, Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, just six months later. Each one has two children with their respective partners.
The sportscaster and the NFL coach were “very close to each other” throughout the night, according to our source, who witnessed Russini’s legs “in the middle.” [Vrabel’s] legs.”
The witness told Page Six that Russini, 43, and Vrabel, 50, were at the “hole in the wall” bar around midnight and remained for at least an hour, going unnoticed.
“They were having a glorious time. They were [giving each other] pecks, a lot of pecks, constantly,” the source added. “There was no one there. Nobody knew who they were. “I don’t even think the waiters did it.”
At the time, Vrabel was working as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, while Russini was an NFL reporter at ESPN.
The reporter posted a photo of herself in the ESPN studio in New York with host Laura Rutledge just hours before her bar outing with Vrabel, joking with the caption: “A blonde. A brunette. And a redhead walks into a bar…”
Page Six contacted Vrabel and Russini on Wednesday afternoon regarding the photos. While neither man would comment for this story, Vrabel told ESPN just hours later that he will miss Day 3 of the NFL draft to enter counseling.
He said: “As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of myself that I could give them. To achieve that, I have committed to seeking counseling starting this weekend. This is something I have thought a lot about and is something I would recommend a player do if I were counseling them.”
“I always wanted to lead by example and I believe this is what I need to do to be the best husband, father and coach I can be,” Vrabel continued. “It’s not easy for me to admit this, but I know it will make me a better person. I appreciate the support everyone has given me and I promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
The New England Patriots showed their support for Vrabel entering therapy in a statement to Page Six on Thursday: “The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being. Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to fulfill that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know that draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
The bar outing came six years before Page Six obtained photos of Russini and Vrabel holding hands and hugging at Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona, a boutique resort with stunning views of the Brins Mesa mountain range.
We previously reported that the two enjoyed breakfast on the patio of the hotel’s restaurant on the morning of March 28, and then hung out by the pool for about an hour before lounging side by side in the hot tub.
They were also seen on the private rooftop of one of the hotel’s bungalows, an area that can only be accessed from the two-person bungalows, which cost up to $2,160 a night.
As seen in the photos, which Page Six posted on April 7, they held hands and looked at each other, dancing together briefly at one point.
Even though several witnesses told us they saw Vrabel and Russini together with no one else in their group, the two insisted to Page Six that they were joined on the trip by friends who simply weren’t in the photo.
A source close to Russini claimed she was at the hotel with two friends for a hiking trip, while Vrabel’s friend told us the coach and his friends went to Sedona just for a day. They allegedly took the two-hour drive back to their own hotel after spending time with Russini and his group.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is ridiculous,” Vrabel said in a statement to Page Six at the time. “This deserves no further response.”
Russini added in his own statement: “The photos do not represent the group of six people who were together during the day. Like most journalists, in the NFL, reporters interact with sources outside of stadiums and other locations.”
Russini had been working as a senior sports reporter for the Athletic when the first set of photographs was published earlier this month. Although the company launched an investigation into the situation, she resigned from her position.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand by every story I have published,” he wrote in his resignation letter, which was published on April 14 and obtained by Page Six.
“When the Page Six article first appeared, The Athletic unequivocally supported me, expressing confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful.”
Russini added that “in the days that followed…commentators in various media outlets engaged in self-feeding speculation” that “simply became disconnected” from the facts.
“Furthermore, this media frenzy is advancing without regard to the review process that Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to intensify, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in subjecting myself to a public investigation that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept,” Russini’s statement continued.
“Rather than allow this to continue, I have decided to step aside now, before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been built around this episode, but because I refuse to give it any more oxygen or let it define me or my career.”
The Athletic investigation is still ongoing.
Meanwhile, Vrabel publicly broke his silence on the scandal earlier this week during a pre-NFL draft press conference at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
“Let me start by thanking you for the patience you have shown in a personal and private matter, for me and obviously for everyone involved. I know it is not easy for you, I respect that and appreciate your efforts in doing it,” the Patriots coach began.
“I understand I could have addressed you earlier, but it was important for me to have a conversation with the players, which I did very candidly yesterday as we began our offseason program, which everyone is excited to be a part of.”
Vrabel revealed that he had had “some difficult conversations with people” he cares about, including his “family, the organization, the coaches.” [and] the players” – who were “positive” and productive in light of the photographic drama.
“We believe that to be successful on and off the field you have to make good decisions. That includes me. That starts with me,” he said. “We never want our actions to negatively affect the team. We never want to be a cause of distraction. There are comments and questions that I have answered for the team and with the team. [We] We will keep them private and to ourselves.”
