Since the New York Post’s Page Six published a series of photos showing The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a resort in Arizona, there’s been much speculation about their origin and any potential intention.
According to Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, we now know the photos had been shopped around before the Post eventually ran them (presumably paying for exclusive rights).
Per Glasspiegel, TMZ also received a tip about the photos, and the photographer, who was not with any known paparazzi or photo agency, knew Vrabel but had not identified the woman as Russini. The photographer reportedly asked “four figures” for the photos, and as TMZ deliberated over running them, the Post swooped in and ran them in its Page Six vertical.
Page Six posted the photos and their story Tuesday night, showing Russini and Vrbael together two weeks ago at the Ambiente, an adult-only resort in Sedona, Arizona. The series of photos in the article shows them holding hands, hugging, and lying side by side in a hot tub. Vrabel, 50, and Russini, 43, are both married to other people, but have a working relationship that dates back to Russini’s time with ESPN as the Tennessee Titans beat reporter when he was the head coach.
In the days since, the photos, stories, and insinuations have launched a thousand theories. Not only has speculation run wild, but it has also raised questions about the role of insider reporting. It also doesn’t appear that the gossip and reactions will end anytime soon.
Vrabel, Russini, and The Athletic have all issued statements claiming that the interaction was innocent and that the photos lacked essential context.
The exact provenance of the photos has been a large part of the rampant speculation around the story. Some presumed that the Post had sent someone to Arizona, while others thought perhaps that a private investigator had followed them. Based on this reporting, it seems that Occam’s Razor wins again: someone at the resort recognized a famous NFL head coach and saw an opportunity.
