Jon 'Stugotz' Weiner Defends Dianna Russini Amid Scandal, Refuses to Apologize

Dianna Russini has remained out of the public eye since her scandal with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.

The former NFL insider for The Athletic, who resigned from her position, stepped down after photos were published of her rendezvous with the NFL head coach at an adults-only resort in Arizona.

"Over a career spanning more than fifteen years in sports journalism - at NBC, ESPN, and The Athletic - I have built a body of work I am proud of. I have broken stories, earned the trust of sources across the league, and been guided by the highest standards of professional conduct. That record speaks for itself," she said in her resignation letter.

"I remain grateful to The Athletic and for the extraordinary colleagues with whom I have worked there, for the platform it provided, and for the support you showed me during this difficult time. I wish you nothing but continued success."

Russini hasn't received a ton of support from those in the sports media world during the scandal.

However, one close friend, Jon "Stuogtz" Weiner, formerly of "The Dan Le Batard Show," is standing by her.

Weiner is not apologizing for that, either.

Russini's close friend is standing by her

Weiner explained on his show this week that he won't be apologizing for standing by his friend.

"I'm not a journalist, I'm a talk show host," Stugotz said, "and when my real friends fall on some difficult times, I like to support my friends and talk to them and be someone that listens. Not talks, listens. This is her story to share when she feels like sharing it. It is not me. And it is not my obligation to talk to Dianna Russini privately on the phone and then share it with a radio audience that she doesn't want me to share it with, because it's not my story to tell. It's her story to tell on her timeline."

Weiner says that Russini and Vrabel might just be friends.

"She's been compromised. She knows the optics are bad on this, trust me, OK? I know the optics are bad on this," Stugotz continued. "I was surprised when I saw the pictures, and this is coming from someone who knows she's had a close relationship - I didn't know it was this kind of close - but has a close relationship with Mike Vrabel and has been friendly with him for years. And that might be all that it is. I have no idea. Again, she hasn't told me."

Russini, meanwhile, hasn't addressed the speculation, choosing to stay quiet since the photos leaked and she resigned.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 10:15 AM.