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By Bentley Maddox
NFL head coach Mike Vrabel and sports writer Dianna Russini, who are married to other people, reacted to pictures of their shared vacation, which appeared to show the pair dancing together.
Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini are sharing their side of the story.
Hours after photos surfaced of the New England Patriots’ head coach and The Athletic’s NFL reporter visiting a Sedona, Ariz., hotel together, the pair spoke out against claims that their encounter was romantic.
In the photos obtained by Page Six, Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, shared a hug and appeared to dance with their fingers interlocked while on the roof of the Sedona hotel. Other pics show the pair lounging in their swimsuits by the pool and sitting in the hot tub together.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel—who celebrated his 26th anniversary with wife Jen Vrabel last year—said in an April 7 statement to Page Six. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
For her part, Russini—mom to two kids with Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt—noted the pictures did not include everyone that she and the NFL coach were on vacation with.
“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” she told the outlet. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Russini’s executive editor at The AthleticSteven Ginsberg also came to her defense, telling Page Six in a statement, “These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”
In September, Russini commemorated her fifth wedding anniversary with Goldschmidt, sharing a touching tribute to her Instagram.
“Happy Anniversary to my own parents’ favorite person,” she wrote alongside a picture from their 2020 wedding, “and mine too.”
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