Footage of the NFL insider’s surprising remark was made during a Barstool Sports segment in April 2020, as seen in a viral clip that has resurfaced on social media amid the scandal.
Russini, Vrabel and seven other sports personalities appeared via Zoom for a “Barstool Feud” game inspired by the hit game show “Family Feud.”
“OK, Dianna, what is something you might close your eyes to do?” the former ESPN reporter was asked during the segment, per an X video of the awkward incident.
“When you have sex with your husband or wife,” Russini, 43, quickly responded.
While most of the players laughed off the sports reporter’s comment, Vrabel, 50, appeared to shake his head in response.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, meanwhile, rushed to X after the 2020 video resurfaced to express his surprise and confusion.
“What the f–k is this clip! I disavow! There is no way this can be real,” he tweeted. “Can we just play some football! Hut hut! Blue 42! Blue 42! Hut! Hut!”
This isn’t the first time footage of Russini belittling her husband, Shake Shack exec Kevin Goldschmidt, has resurfaced in light of her and Vrabel’s bombshell photo scandal, however.
The resigned Athletic reporter disparaged her husband again during a 2021 episode of ESPN’s “Get Up” morning show, which aired just months after she and Goldschmidt tied the knot in September 2020.
“I’m married to someone average,” the mom-of-two said at the time. “I don’t post a lot about him. If I was married to someone beautiful, I’d over-post too.”
Russini went on to recognize that she was “killing” Goldschmidt on live TV – before doubling down on her surprising comments.
“So the guy’s got a heart of gold, and here I am on national TV killing him,” she laughed. “Look, we’re average together, but he makes me above average because he married me.”
Russini concluded, “I am so sorry, I need to really stop killing my husband on television. I’m going to be divorced by Christmas!”
The Athletic, the New York Times sports outlet where Russini was working at the time, sidelined their top reporter and launched an investigation into her conduct amid the initial photo drama. She resigned from the outlet on April 14.
Vrabel, who is also married and shares two sons with his wife of over 25 years, Jen, addressed the scandal for the first time to a room of reporters shortly before this year’s NFL Draft on April 21.
“I’ve had some difficult conversations with people that I care about — my family, the organization, the coaches, the players,” the New England Patriots head coach said in part.
Since then, more photos and videos of the two hanging out over the years has surfaced.
Earlier this week, TMZ Sports also released photos and footage of the duo taking a private boat trip together in Tennessee in June 2021 when Russini was around seven months pregnant. She welcomed her first son, Michael, two months later.
Although a source told the outlet that the pair were “cautious about photos being taken” during their lake excursion, Vrabel reportedly posed for a photo with a group of fans under the condition that it wouldn’t be shared publicly.
