The 2026 NFL season gets back into action on Wednesday night.
The New England Patriots are set to take on the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl rematch on Wednesday night. The first game of the 2026 NFL regular season will be airing live on NBC. Mike Vrabel and the Patriots will be taking on Sam Darnold and the Seahawks, to kick off the regular season action.
Vrabel’s offseason, of course, was highlighted by the Dianna Russini scandal. Vrabel and Russini were photographed in several non-professional settings. Russini resigned from her job, while Vrabel went to counseling during the NFL Draft.
The Patriots coach has kept his job, while Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic.
© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Now, on the day the New England Patriots begin their season, Russini has a job update for everyone.
It comes with very “telling” timing.
Russini is planning to return to sports media and she’ll be telling her side of the story when she does.
“A source familiar with the situation told Page Six this week that the former Athletic journalist, who resigned from her position in April amid an investigation into her relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, will share her side of the scandal upon taking her next job. Russini, 43, hopes to speak on the matter and move past it once and for all, the source added,” they reported.
It’s telling timing, to say the least
This story dropping the day Vrabel and the Patriots open their 2026 season is quite telling.
“Her announcing this today of all days tells me there is bad blood,” sports radio host Kendra Middleton said.
NFL fans seem to agree.
“Yeah, the timing really stands out, doesn’t it? You saw right through that,” one fan wrote.
“It gets the most attention by announcing it today. Bad Blood? Time will tell. She can end up coming across very poorly as well,” one fan added.
The Patriots and the Seahawks will kick off at 8:20 p.m. E.T. on Sunday.
