Aaron Rodgers didn’t mince words Monday when he took aim at the way the media handled the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini cheating scandal. On "The Pat McAfee Show," the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback blasted the lack of coverage around the New England Patriots coach’s alleged affair with the former NFL reporter.
That criticism quickly drew a response from a former NFL scout who posts on X under the name "AngryScoutVet." In a Tuesday post, he argued that ESPN and other major outlets stayed quiet for a reason.
"Just saw this. Was thinking same on Russini earlier.
ESPN has covered for her because they know how bad it is. They want everyone to forget about it.
I said they would keep quiet. We have multiple current head coaches who have had some Russini days and nights but they ignore," the anonymous scout tweeted.
The scandal first erupted in April, when photos of Russini and Vrabel - both married to other people - together at an Arizona resort went viral. After that, Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic, and Vrabel missed Day 1 of the NFL draft to seek counselling.
Rodgers’ comments came with his own football future in the background. The Steelers are set to play three preseason games before the 2026 regular season, beginning with Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers on August 13 at Acrisure Stadium at 7:00 PM EST on NFL Network. Pittsburgh will then host the New York Jets on August 21 at 7:00 PM EST, also on NFL Network, before finishing the preseason at Buffalo on August 27 against the Bills at Highmark Stadium at 7:00 PM EST on NFL Network.
Pittsburgh won the AFC North last season but then fell 30-6 to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round. With 2026 expected to be Rodgers’ final season in the NFL, the four-time MVP will be trying to finish on a strong note.
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