Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is accusing ESPN of inconsistent, self-serving journalism, criticizing the network for what he calls its refusal to cover a relationship between former ESPN and Athletic reporter Dianna Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
Rodgers made the comments on the Not Just Football podcast, which he co-hosts with Steelers teammate Cam Heyward, ahead of Pittsburgh’s season opener Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Rodgers said ESPN has avoided the subject entirely while giving heavy coverage to other league controversies, pointing specifically to the arrest of San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York, who was arrested for soliciting a prostitute for $160 in Ohio and pleaded no contest to lesser charges.
“They spend so much time on certain issues, but you won’t talk one second about the Dianna Russini situation,” Rodgers said. “What just happened? Uh, let’s see, the owner of the Niners solicited a prostitute for [$160] in Ohio. That literally was the number one topic when you click on ESPN, right?”
Rodgers argued the two stories deserve comparable scrutiny, but that ESPN’s silence on Russini reflects a deeper conflict of interest given her past role covering the league and voting on awards.
“But does that have the same effect as a reporter who, you know, has intimate relations with a coach?” Rodgers asked. “Who has a vote for MVP, who has a vote for Coach of the Year?”
He also referenced a separate incident in which a report about Morgan Moses moving from the New York Jets to New England was published a day early, suggesting questions about the integrity of league insiders generally.
Rodgers said ESPN’s reluctance extends to his own appearances on the Pat McAfee Show, where he first raised these criticisms.
“ESPN is really scared” of having him discuss the matter on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers said, adding: “That McAfee thing rattled their feathers, because I didn’t just say that on McAfee’s show… I also said, you’re a gutless organization. Because they haven’t said anything.”
Rodgers suggested the network’s silence may be tied to financial incentives rather than editorial judgment, noting the NFL owns a 10% stake in ESPN.
“I think there’s a lot more to it,” Rodgers said. “The NFL is gonna protect the shield. And I respect that. But they’re gonna do it by all means necessary.”
Background on the Russini-Vrabel relationship
Russini, who worked at ESPN from 2015 to 2023, was photographed with Vrabel at a resort in Sedona, Arizona in April. The photos showed the pair holding hands, embracing, and spending time together at a pool and hot tub. The Athletic, where Russini worked more recently, determined that her relationship with Vrabel was “in clear violation” of the outlet’s standards.
Rodgers said the situation demands caution from everyone involved, including the network.
“They got to be very very careful,” Rodgers said.
