Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers recently voiced strong criticism regarding the media's handling of the offseason scandal involving former NFL reporter Dianna Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday, the four-time MVP expressed his frustration over the lack of mainstream media attention directed toward the alleged affair.
The controversy gained significant traction in April when photographs of Russini and Vrabel, both of whom are married to other individuals, surfaced from an Arizona resort. The fallout from the viral images was notable: Russini resigned from her position at The Athletic, while Vrabel opted to miss the first day of the NFL draft to seek counseling.
Following Rodgers' comments, a former NFL scout operating under the username "AngryScoutVet" on X claimed that the silence from major networks like ESPN was intentional. In a post on Tuesday, the anonymous scout alleged, "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."
As Rodgers prepares for what is expected to be his final NFL season, his focus remains on the field. The Steelers are scheduled to play three preseason games ahead of the 2026 regular season. The team will host the Green Bay Packers on August 13 and the New York Jets on August 21, both at Acrisure Stadium, before traveling to face the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on August 27. All three games are slated for 7:00 PM EST and will be broadcast on the NFL Network. The Steelers, who won the AFC North last season, are aiming to improve upon their 30-6 wild-card round loss to the Houston Texans.
In the aftermath, Russini resigned from the role at The Athletic, while Vrabel skipped Day 1 of the NFL draft to seek counselling.ALSO READ: "He's playing himself out of starting job": Emmanuel Acho serves reality check on Deshaun Watson's future after throwing 6 INTs at Browns campALSO READ: "No wonder
Here's a look at Pittsburgh's preseason schedule:Week 1: August 13 vs.
