NFL Reporter Dianna Russini Had Doubts About Her Wedding
NFL reporter Dianna Russini previously expressed her “skepticism” regarding her wedding to Kevin Goldschmidt before she was spotted holding hands with Mike Vrabel.
In a recently resurfaced interview, Russini, 43, reflected on her feelings prior to tying the knot with Goldschmidt in 2020.
“I believe that when men propose, that’s their wedding day. That’s when you’re all in,” she shared on the Dan Le Batard Show. “For us, it doesn’t feel real until the actual wedding day.”
“Kev was totally on board,” Russini added. “I was the one feeling quite skeptical. I was like, ‘I don’t know.’”
At the time of her wedding, Russini was with ESPN. She has since transitioned to a role at The New York Times’ The Athletic, where she serves as the lead NFL insider.
“The night before my wedding, I was making calls and had a phone interview scheduled with Jimmy Garoppolo. I remember Jimmy was fantastic,” she recalled. “He joked, ‘Hey, it’s the night before your wedding. Are you sure you want to do this?’ I thought about all the people I would have talked to that night, and my mom wanted me to marry Jimmy Garoppolo—now he’s calling me. This feels like a sign.”
Russini married Goldschmidt in September 2020 in a small ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. The couple now has two sons.
While Russini’s podcast interview was humorous, some listeners are now raising eyebrows after she was seen holding hands and hugging Vrabel, 50.
Photos published by Page Six on April 7 depicted the New England Patriots head coach and Russini enjoying their time at the Ambiente Sedona resort in Arizona.
“These photos capture a purely innocent interaction; any implications otherwise are ridiculous,” Mike, who shares two kids with wife Jen Vrabel, told Page Six. “This doesn’t warrant any further commentary.”
In a separate statement, Russini noted, “The images don’t represent the group of six people who were all together that day. Like many NFL reporters, we interact with sources outside of stadiums and venues.”
Russini’s employer also backed her in response to the viral photos.
“These photos are misleading and lack important context,” said Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, to Page Six. “These were public interactions witnessed by many. Dianna is a top-tier journalist covering the NFL, and we are proud to have her at The Athletic.”
