Mike Vrabel Saga Sparks Questions Over Dianna Russini’s Past AP Votes

Dianna Russini's role in the AP voting is under the scanner following her questionable photos with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel were leaked online.

Mike Vrabel Saga Sparks Questions Over Dianna Russini’s Past AP Votes

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Dianna Russini lost her job at The Athletic amid scrutiny over her AP voting following leaked photos with Mike Vrabel.
  • Russini's voting history includes selecting Lamar Jackson for the 2024 MVP, despite Josh Allen winning the award.
  • The NFL will not investigate Mike Vrabel's conduct related to the controversy surrounding Russini.

The leaked photos of Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel cost Russini her job at The Athletic as the publication continues to review her work. On that note, another thing that might come to light soon is Russini’s role in the AP voting.

Since 2022, a year before Russini joined The Athletic, she has been among the voters (assuming she still is) for AP Polls. It means her votes helped determine the winners of the league MVPs and several other honors.

As the league considers AP voting as its primary award, Russini’s involvement becomes a point of conflict. She voted for the Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson as her top candidate to win the 2024 league MVP. Of course, as everyone knows, the award went to the Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Allen received 27 first ballot votes, five more than Jackson. Allen’s total votes amounted to 378 points, while Jackson received 352 points. All the other remaining players on the list got zero first-ballot votes.

More recently, Vrabel won the 2025 Coach of the Year award with 302 points and 19 first-place votes. With 239 points and 16 first-place votes, Jacksonville Jaguars rookie head coach Liam Coen finished second in the voting.

Now, AP released the 2024 ballot list without telling the panel. This move actually caught Russini off guard, and she received severe backlash for her selection. AP has yet to release the 2025 ballots.

Russini later complained about the 2024 disclosure. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (NBC Sports) highlighted the exact part that he appeared to have found rather suspicious.

I was out to dinner, and my phone was blowing up with people in football very angry that I voted for people that I voted for. That stunk. I wish I knew that because — it would not have changed my vote — but I love Josh Allen, and I am avoiding him for a really long time.

Russini said via Florio of PFT

Florio was among the voters who cast their votes for Jackson to win the MVP. But in his own words, “I got no pushback from any ‘people in football’ for that decision.” Jemele Hill might call out sexism and misogyny toward Russini, but there could be another reason Florio was trying to hint while keeping a neutral stance.

Tony Farmer of 49ers Talk is not bound by similar constructs as Florio, so he decided to say it loud on Twitter.

I am gonna say what I think Mike Florio wanted to say, but wasn’t able to say… Did Dianna Russini tell Josh Allen that she voted for him for MVP, and she didn’t? Did Dianna Russini tell Josh Allen that she voted for him for MVP and then went and cast her ballot for Lamar Jackson? Did Dianna Russini tell both Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson that she voted for them and was caught off guard when AP released this information?

Tony Farmer said

AP has stayed mum on the topic, and Florio believes that the organization may have adopted a similar approach to The Athletic by launching a parallel investigation into Russini’s role in the voting.

Mike Vrabel’s fate following Dianna Russini scandal revealed by the NFL

Russini initially downplayed the photos, calling them innocent and harmless. But later, Ben Strauss of ESPN said that Russini had asked The Athletic to get in touch with Vrabel so they could put out a coordinated statement.

Mike Vrabel Saga Sparks Questions Over Dianna Russini’s Past AP Votes
Dianna Russini (Image via IMAGO)

Russini decided to resign from her post even before The Athletic completed its investigation, leaving Vrabel to handle the spotlight. Thus far, both Vrabel and the Patriots have avoided talking about the scandal, and they won’t have to anymore.

Despite the controversy, the NFL will not investigate Vrabel for his conduct. NFL chief spokesperson Brian McCarthy, in an exclusive interview with ESPN, revealed that the league will not review Vrabel’s behavior.

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