A Night Out in Manhattan
Dianna Russini and her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, were seen enjoying a night out in Manhattan on Saturday, joining a group of friends at a bar near Madison Square Garden ahead of Bruce Springsteen’s latest show in the city. The couple appeared to be in high spirits, with their group of around 10 to 15 friends sharing drinks and food as they prepared for the event.
A witness described the scene as lively and carefree, noting that Russini and Goldschmidt seemed to be having a great time despite the recent scandal involving Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The incident, which came to light last month when photos of Russini holding hands with Vrabel at an adults-only resort in Arizona were released, led to her resignation from her position as an NFL reporter at The Athletic.
Despite the controversy, there was no indication that the couple was struggling. The witness noted that they were “very carefree given everything that has gone on,” and that they didn’t seem concerned about being recognized at the popular Bourbon and Branch Bar.
Russini, who resides in New Jersey, where Springsteen is originally from, denied any affair with Vrabel, who is also married. In her resignation letter to The Athletic, she emphasized that she would not let the pictures define her career. However, Vrabel took a different approach when he addressed the media following the NFL draft in April.
“I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about—my family, this football team, this organization and our fans,” Vrabel said. He later sought counseling, missing part of the draft and admitting he wanted to set a better example as a husband, father, and head coach.
Russini also deleted her social media accounts, but more images of her and Vrabel continued to surface. One particularly damaging photo showed them being intimate at a bar in Tribeca, just a few miles from where she was celebrating with friends that Saturday. Another clip revealed them on a romantic boat trip in June 2021, when Vrabel was still coaching the Tennessee Titans and Russini was reporting on him for ESPN.
According to a source, Vrabel and Russini were the only people on board the boat, and this claim was supported by a signed company waiver reviewed by TMZ. Russini gave birth to her first son, named Mike, in August 2021. TMZ reported that she named him after her brother, Michael Russini, not Vrabel.
Another flirty clip emerged from a Barstool podcast episode in which Vrabel and Russini participated in a Family Feud-style game. In one moment, Russini jokingly suggested that kissing a woman was the best way to get her in the mood. Vrabel responded enthusiastically, saying, “I'm paying very close attention. I'm so excited.”
A clip from a 2021 episode of ESPN's Get Up also resurfaced, during which Russini discussed her marriage. She humorously remarked, “I'm married to someone average. I don't post a lot about him. If I was married to someone beautiful, I'd over-post too.” Her co-hosts gave her a chance to correct herself, and she replied, “We're average together.”
Despite the past controversies, the couple appeared to be moving forward, attending one of the hottest tickets in town for Springsteen’s final New York show of his sold-out tour.
Vrabel has since returned to coaching with the Patriots, taking steps to build up for the 2026 NFL season. He recently oversaw rookie minicamp, and excitement for the new campaign grew as the schedule was released. The Patriots will start their season with a Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks before hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, who confirmed the return of Aaron Rodgers on Saturday night.
While Russini left her job at The Athletic, the Patriots have remained supportive of Vrabel, who has a long history with the team, including three Super Bowl wins as a player.
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