'It really sucks': NFL reporter sheds light on Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal making life harder for female journalists

Months after it made the headlines, the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal remains a hot topic, especially for female reporters covering the NFL. An anonymous female reporter highlighted this in an ESPN feature on the lingering effects of the scandal. Ad While Russini resigned her position in the Athletic following the onset of the scandal, Vrabel retained his position with the Patriots. But while people within the organization appear to have moved on, female reporters are left grappling with the aftermath. Submit Thanks for the submission! "It really sucks this came from someone who a lot of us thought approached things differently than his peers," a female NFL reporter told ESPN. "It's just unfortunate because it felt like he understood there are challenges that women in the business face and was doing one small bit to try and push back on it." Ad Trending 70% Win (110-25-1) 70% Win (110-25-1) 70% Win (110-25-1) Unlock Free tips from our Experts Get Picks Now Recall that photos of Vrabel and then-Athletic senior NFL insider Dianna Russini holding hands and embracing made it to the tabloids in April. The photos were reportedly taken at an adult-only luxury resort at Sedona, Arizona ahead of the NFL's annual meetings. Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game! With both of them married, but not to each other, the photos stirred perhaps the biggest scandal of the offseason. Russini's resignation came within a week of the leak. Ad However, her resignation didn't stop a subsequent five-month internal investigation by the Athletic. The investigation confirmed that her relationship with Mike Vrabel was a clear violation of editorial standards. It also cited her failure to disclose their proximity as a breach of conflict-of-interest rules that ultimately undermined public confidence in her impartiality. Multiple female reporters have since raised concerns about a growing reluctance among male NFL staffers from being seen with them publicly. Ad Why are female NFL reporters blaming Mike Vrabel? The disappointment of female NFL reporters in Mike Vrabel is not without a wider context. Notably, the coach has built a reputation throughout his head coaching career as an intentional ally of female sports journalists. This started in 2018 when he made it a strict ritual to grant the first question at every press conference to the most senior female reporter present. He started the tradition with the Associated Press' Teresa Walker in Tennessee and has continued with MassLive's Karen Gurefian in New England. Ad "This is a tough business I think for females, for women just trying to break in," Vrabel once said in an interview with ESPN. Meanwhile, Vravel's focus now will be on facing thr Seattle Seahawks in the season opener. × Feedback Why did you not like this content? Clickbait / Misleading Factually Incorrect Hateful or Abusive Baseless Opinion Too Many Ads Other Cancel Submit Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback New England Patriots Nation! Check out the latest Patriots Schedule and dive into the New England Patriots Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.