Mike Tomlin: Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal will get quiet if Patriots win games, loud if they lose

In the same week that Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers literally crapped on ESPN, while appearing on ESPN, for not sufficiently covering the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini situation, former Steelers coach Mike Tomlin addressed the issue during his debut on NBC.

The offseason scandal became a topic during halftime of the Hall of Fame game between the Panthers and Cardinals. And here’s how Tomlin addressed it, concisely and accurately.

“When games start, winning matters,” Tomlin said. “And so if they get off to a fast start, they’ve got a chance to quiet some of that noise. If they don’t, things could get extremely loud.”

Unlike last year, the 2026 schedule won’t be a patsy-fest for the Patriots. The Patriots face four 2025 playoff teams out of the gates: Seahawks, Steelers, Jaguars, and Bills. (The Pittsburgh game could be a little more interesting, given the things Rodgers said.)

If the Patriots start 3-1, Russinigate will fade. If the Patriots start 1-3, the team could become engulfed by it.

The good news is that the schedule softens in Week 5, with a visit from the Raiders. Then again, the 2025 season opened with a visit from the Raiders — and the Patriots somehow lost that game.