McCoy defends Vrabel, Russini over Arizona resort photos
Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy defended New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and New York Times/The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini after photos surfaced showing them holding hands, hugging and sitting together in bathing suits at a Sedona, Arizona, resort bungalow. McCoy dismissed criticism of the pair, saying they work together and he saw nothing wrong with the interaction. The images, first published by the New York Post's Page Six, depicted part of a group outing involving six people.
Vrabel, 50, married to Jen since 1999 with two sons, called the photos evidence of an innocent interaction and rejected suggestions of impropriety. Russini, 43, married to Kevin Goldschmidt since 2020 with two sons, said the images did not represent the full group context and noted that NFL reporters often interact with sources outside work venues. Both denied any wrongdoing.
McCoy, a 37-year-old former NFL running back who played 12 seasons across four teams, told TMZ Sports he likes Vrabel and minds his own business. In 170 games, McCoy rushed for 11,102 yards and 73 touchdowns, and caught 518 passes for 3,898 yards and 16 touchdowns. Vrabel led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season as head coach and earned NFL Coach of the Year for the second time.
Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after more than eight years at ESPN. McCoy won Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
