Viewers of Saturday Night Live express growing frustration as the show continues to overlook the high-profile scandal involving New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and reporter Dianna Russini. The story offers prime comedic material: photos from early April captured the married coach and married journalist in an intimate moment at an adults-only resort in Arizona.
The Scandal Unfolds
Both Vrabel and Russini, formerly an NFL Insider for The Athletic, firmly denied any affair. Russini later stepped down from her role, while Vrabel entered counseling and committed to rebuilding his reputation for his family and the Patriots. Recent disclosures trace their connections back to 2020, fueling ongoing speculation.
Fans Point to NBC-NFL Connection
The latest episode, hosted by Matt Damon with Noah Kahan as musical guest, made no reference to the saga during Weekend Update or elsewhere. Fans suspect influence from NBC’s $2 billion annual deal for NFL Sunday Night Football broadcasts.
Patrick Makin, a dedicated viewer, shared his thoughts on X: “I’ve been watching the past 2 weeks to see if they’d make a mention on Weekend Update—it’s worth at least a couple minute joke and it’d be funny and nothing.” He added to a skeptic: “You don’t find it extremely odd that the national media has been mostly silent on this? That SNL has not made a joke on something so relevant and so available for something really funny?”
Others echoed the sentiment. One user noted: “They could have easily gone after the low hanging fruit of ‘just friends’ interlocking fingers like everyone was joking about weeks ago.” Another remarked: “Yeah I was definitely shocked about this I expected it to at least be on Weekend Update.”
New Videos Stir More Questions
A resurfaced clip from a 2020 Barstool podcast pits Vrabel and Russini in a Family Feud-style game. Asked “Tell me something a man might do to get a woman in the mood,” Russini, appearing from her bed, responds without pause: “Kiss her! This is good advice for you guys.” Vrabel chimes in: “I’m paying very close attention. I’m so excited.”
Another segment from the same Zoom interview, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, asked for “something you close your eyes to do.” Russini replied: “When you have sex with your husband or wife.”
Russini married Kevin Goldschmidt in New Jersey in September 2020. Vrabel has been wed to Jen for over two decades; they share two children.
What’s Next for SNL
The season finale airs May 16, hosted by Will Ferrell with Paul McCartney performing.
