Former podcast co-host Chase Daniel broke his silence on the Mike Vrabel affair controversy engulfing Dianna Russini after Arizona resort photos—and offered a bold, blunt prediction about how the fallout will play out for the embattled reporter.
When the New York Post first published photos of Dianna Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel fraternizing at an adults-only resort in Arizona at the end of March. it ignited a firestorm that spilled far beyond the NFL.. The pair, both married with children, denied accusations at first—before Vrabel later expressed regret and began counseling.
Now, the story’s nearest professional circle has weighed in.. Russini’s former “Scoop City” podcast co-host. former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel. addressed the scandal on Thursday’s “The Jim Rome Show. ” choosing to distance himself from the details—while still acknowledging the damage the coverage has caused.
“Look, that’s something that’s unfortunate in many different ways,” Daniel said. “We haven’t really chatted about it. We haven’t done any of that, so I’m going to leave that there. That’s their business.”
Daniel then shifted to what he believes comes next for Russini. in language that reads more like a forecast than a defense.. “It has turned into quite the assignment of everything. it’s like TMZ is covering it. the Wall Street Journal. all these things are covering it. ” he said.. “So I’m sure she’ll land on her feet somewhere and that’s all I’ll really say about that.”
Russini. who stepped down from her job at The Athletic after the controversy erupted. remains at the center of an escalating media spiral.. The fallout also led to changes behind the scenes in her podcast life—“Scoop City. ” co-hosted with Daniel and former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel. had taken a break in March and was later discontinued after she quit.
The controversy itself has broadened well beyond the initial images.. After the first batch of photos surfaced. the Post published more showing Vrabel and Russini enjoying breakfast together at the same Arizona resort.. Additional pictures followed: kissing at a New York bar in March 2020. and later photos at a Biloxi. Mississippi casino in January 2024.
Last week. the allegations took another turn when video emerged of the pair arriving for what was described as a romantic boat trip that reportedly occurred just months before Russini gave birth to her first son.. According to the account reviewed in the coverage. Russini and Vrabel reportedly hired the vessel for two or three hours in June 2021. when Vrabel was still coaching the Tennessee Titans and Russini was reporting on him for ESPN.. A rental source said Vrabel and Russini were the only people on board. and that claim was supported by a signed company waiver reviewed by TMZ.
In that same reporting chain. additional Daily Mail video captured the couple walking along a dock of a private rental company near a lake in Putnam County. Tennessee.. Russini was seen strolling a few steps ahead of Vrabel. and she appeared visibly pregnant when she turned to speak to him.. The pair were dressed for the outing in T-shirts and shorts. and the reporting also said they were hesitant to have pictures taken with fans that day—alleging she declined a fan photo while Vrabel agreed only on the condition that any photos not be posted online.
Russini ultimately gave birth to her first of two sons in August 2021, naming him Mike, reportedly after her brother Michael Russini rather than after the Patriots coach.
On the NFL side, Vrabel remains in control of New England.. The team backed him fully after he agreed to seek professional help following the initial scandal.. With his season underway and his coaching role unchanged. Daniel’s message carried a different weight—less about the allegations themselves and more about the likely media career after the storm.
Daniel’s own playing résumé also ties directly to the NFL spotlight he now talks from: he was the backup to Drew Brees during the Saints’ Super Bowl win in 2010. later playing for the Chiefs. Eagles. Bears. Lions and Chargers before retiring in 2023.. As the public attention refuses to fade. his prediction about Russini landing “somewhere” is a reminder that—whatever the personal fallout—this scandal is now shaping careers in real time.
Mike Vrabel Dianna Russini Chase Daniel New England Patriots The Athletic Scoop City NFL insider scandal Arizona resort photos The Jim Rome Show adult-only resort ESPN