The Truth About Dianna Russini That Eagles Fans Don’t Want to Hear

In case you’ve been living beneath a rock the last few days, the internet erupted when Page Six of the New York Post dropped a story accompanied with photos

of NFL Insider Dianna Russini spending time in a romantic getaway with Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel. The loud reaction stems from two main issues with the encounter.

1. Both Russini and Vrabel are married

2. Russini, as an NFL Insider for The Athletic, is supposed to be impartial

Assuming the photos do in fact indicate an inappropriate relationship, the first point is the issue of the spouses, and sadly, the children of Vrabel and Russini’s respective marriages. The 2nd point is the one that has Eagles fans in an uproar.

In recent years, Russini has been viewed as overly critical of the Eagles (Who happen to be her husband’s favorite team, for what it’s worth). The angle Eagles fans are voicing the most displeasure about, is Russini’s reporting that the Patriots are very interested in trading for AJ Brown.

If Russini planted that story to help her secret boyfriend, by manufacturing turmoil for another team, the concern is fair. Or maybe Russini started that story because the Patriots want AJ Brown, and making sure he knows that New England’s an option increases their chances of getting him. And then of course there’s the third possibility. Russini was upset with her husband and decided to start a fake rumor about his favorite team as a petty way to mess with him.

I’m not giving a ton of credence to the third possibility because honestly, if she wanted to piss off her husband she could just trash him on TV like she has for years.

Here’s the thing Eagles fans aren’t going to like – If Russini and Vrabel are as close as many believe them to be, it backs up her reporting more than hurts it. Who would know more about what players a head coach is seriously interested in than a respected sports journalist they’re spending intimate time with?

Maybe she planted the story to help Vrabel, maybe she reported on legitimate information she got from the coach, or neither. But one thing is clear with her reporting, the Patriots want AJ Brown.

The Patriots have the most cap space in the league, so a trade and new contract are not unreasonable. Pairing AJ Brown with Romeo Dobbs would give Drake Maye significant upgrades for pass catchers just a year removed from an MVP caliber season. And not only was AJ Brown vocal about his displeasure with the Eagles last season, but he recently went on Julian Edleman’s podcast and said that he came to appreciate Mike Vrabel after their split in Tennessee. So let’s face it, even if we forget about Russini’s reporting, there’s a lot of reasons to believe the Patriots would make a good landing spot for AJ Brown.

As for whether AJ Brown is truly available remains to be seen. Per Spotrac, trading AJ Brown prior to June 1st costs the Eagles $20.1 Million against the cap. After June 1st the Eagles save over $7 Million. So, if AJ’s available, as I believe him to be, a trade wouldn’t be likely until June 1st.

Russini’s credibility is taking a hit right now. That’s fair.

But messy situation or not…

The report itself? Still adds up.