Tony Farmer took a fresh shot at Dianna Russini this week, revisiting an old interview clip and suggesting the NFL insider sounded less like a reporter and more like a spokesperson for Mike Vrabel.
Farmer, a San Francisco 49ers insider, had already gone back to a 2025 segment from Russini, then with The Athletic, about the New York Jets’ head coach search. In that discussion, Russini described Vrabel’s arrival in a way that raised eyebrows:
"The next day Mike Vrabel came in, blew the doors off. ... They were ready to hire him.
They were gonna do anything to they needed to do, including giving him full roster control and essentially the power to just report to the owner. ... He liked Woody.
He liked what they were about."
Around the same month, the New York Times reported that Russini had served as Vrabel’s "unofficial advisor" during his job hunt. Farmer reacted to that report on Tuesday with a blunt assessment:
"IMO, she sounds like Vrabel’s publicist here."
Russini has faced heavy criticism over her affair with Vrabel, both before and after her resignation, though she has also had defenders. One of the most prominent has been Dan Le Batard, who addressed the backlash on his show last Thursday.
Le Batard said he understood why some listeners have taken issue with his silence on the matter, especially given how willing he has been to criticize others in the past.
"I know that this is something that people are now holding up whenever they think I’m sanctimonious or doing anything that they find an opening to criticize me on. They’re like, ‘You’re being a hypocrite here, you weren’t willing to talk about that.’ I wouldn’t say it’s hypocrisy, I would say it’s inconsistent if you want to call me that."
He added:
“It’s fair criticism to say, ‘Dan, you should talk about Russini.’ It’s a consequence of me saying, ‘No I will not.'
Because everyone is saying for me how wrong it is. You don’t need me adding to that pile of criticism to make my friend’s life a little bit worse. ...
You want to hold it against me for the rest of my life, totally understandable.”
Russini has said little publicly about what comes next for her journalistic career since resigning.
In Other News...
Forgotten Jets Lineman Still Has A Real Shot To Survive Camp
Eric Watts is back in the mix for the Jets as training camp opens in 2026, and the undrafted defensive lineman still has a path to make some noise despite spending most of last season on the practice squad. New Yorks move to a 3-4 defense could help his case, since Watts has worked both at defensive end and defensive tackle, giving him the kind of flexibility coaches tend to value when they start sorting out the bottom of the roster.
Even so, the climb remains steep. Watts looks more like a player fighting to keep himself in the organization than one with a clear lane to the Week 1 roster, and the more realistic outcome may be another stint on the practice squad. But camp is exactly where a player with his background can change the conversation, especially if the new scheme creates just enough room for versatility to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Just Got A Frustrating Training Camp Access Update
The Jets are set to open training camp on July 28 at Florham Park, but the familiar summer routine will look a little different this year. The team announced seven open practice dates, and the schedule is being shaped by the ongoing renovations for a new Player Performance Center, which have cut into both parking and usable space around the facility.
For fans hoping to get close to the action, access will be tighter than usual. The club has limited attendance because of the construction, and the announced practices are being spread out with a mix of fan access and member-only opportunities, including two joint sessions with the Buccaneers later in camp. For a fan base eager to see how the roster takes shape, the calendar is there, but the easiest way in is not. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Won't Agree On This Latest Quarterback Trade Idea
The Jets quarterback search is never far from the front of the conversation, and another trade idea has surfaced as the team keeps looking for a way to stabilize the position. The latest suggestion points toward Cleveland, where a young backup has been squeezed into a crowded quarterback room and could be available if the Browns decide to move on from some depth.
For New York, the appeal is obvious: a recent third-round pick with some NFL starts already on his rsum, and a chance to add another arm without paying full starter price. But the fit is trickier than the headline suggests, because the Jets are still trying to solve a much bigger problem than simply adding another name to the depth chart, which is why any move here would have to come at a very low cost to make sense. [Read more 🡒]