2 weeks ago
The NFL considered aggregate factors successful scheduling its 2026 regular-season kickoff crippled pinch nan Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and successful picking nan New England Patriots arsenic nan opponent, convention executives insist nan play surrounding nan Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini ungraded played nary portion successful their choice.
So, yes, nan convention would person america judge it did not earnestly measurement nan sizeable elephant successful nan room.
"Look, we focused connected nan shot crippled and nan scope of nan Super Bowl, and that unsocial is an unthinkable story," NFL Executive Vice President Hans Schroeder said Friday during a convention conference call.
Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are shown successful a divided composite image featuring Russini pinch an ESPN microphone and Vrabel connected nan Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)
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Schroeder made nan constituent that nan NFL didn't see nan enduring play that has go a protector complete nan Patriots this offseason pursuing nan publication of photos showing their caput coach spending clip pinch nan erstwhile newsman for The Athletic holding hands and embracing connected nan tile of a backstage bungalow astatine a Sedona, Ariz., resort.
Those photos and others that followed yet led to Russini resigning from her job, deleting each her societal media accounts, Vrabel being asked astir it aggregate times successful property conferences and missing nan past time of nan April draught successful bid to walk clip pinch his family successful Utah and get "counseling."
"How do we present nan champion crippled into nan champion window?" Schroeder said, outlining nan NFL's reasoning connected mounting a Super Bowl rematch arsenic its kickoff game. "And successful this case, it felt for illustration that rematch is going to beryllium nan astir breathtaking erstwhile you tin commencement it retired of nan box.
"...We liked nan thought of really celebrating nan Seahawks, giving them a infinitesimal to commencement this twelvemonth to observe their past year. And truthful we for illustration nan thought of opening connected NBC connected Wednesday, and really utilizing that arsenic a chance to observe nan rematch, but observe nan Seattle specifically."
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stands pinch nan Vince Lombardi Trophy aft nan Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots crippled astatine Levi's Stadium successful Santa Clara, California, connected Feb. 8, 2026. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
This, by nan way, falls into statement pinch nan hands-off mode nan NFL has viewed nan full Vrabel-Russini scandal. The convention said early connected that Vrabel was not subject to nan Personal Conduct Policy arsenic a consequence of nan photos and nan rumors they created.
Commissioner Roger Goodell said astatine nan NFL Draft that it was a nine matter for nan Patriots to handle.
But while nan convention is declining to get progressive successful immoderate measurement (perhaps rightly so) different clubs aren't looking distant and neither are fans.
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It should beryllium noted that some nan Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings referenced nan narration betwixt nan coach and erstwhile newsman successful their schedule merchandise videos connected Thursday evening, pinch nan Chargers getting important attraction astir nan convention for their move.
The Patriots themselves suffered thing of an embarrassing clip connected their ain societal media relationship erstwhile they posted a Mother's Day salute connected Sunday.
Some fans successful nan replies of that station pointed out, often successful colorful ways, nan evident disconnect betwixt a squad lifting up moms while its coach has possibly emotionally wounded nan mother of his children.
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And this worldly is improbable to stop.
The Patriots are past nan draught and schedule release, and players being asked their opinion astir their coach successful property conferences. It's besides improbable Vrabel will proceed to beryllium quizzed astir nan rumor assuming nary caller photos aliases revelations go newsworthy.
But nan Patriots will beryllium playing preseason games and person 9 regular-season distant games successful 2026. Those will springiness opposing fans nan opportunity to spoof New England's coach and nan squad by hold astir nan situation.
Unlike nan NFL, those opposing fans mightiness not beryllium solely focused connected shot erstwhile reasoning astir nan Patriots.
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Armando Salguero is OutKick's Senior NFL Writer.
