Amid the ongoing Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel affair controversy, 'Saturday Night Live' is facing backlash for the way it has been handling the story.
With the ongoing and ever-evolving Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini controversy, we are witnessing one of the biggest off-field stories in NFL history. The scandal originated at the beginning of last month, on April 7, 2026, when pictures of the New England Patriots head coach and the longtime NFL reporter holding hands, hugging, and lounging together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona, were published by Page Six.
While they had already been under fire with many speculating they were involved in an extramarital affair, in later weeks, more photos of Mike and Dianna were released, which became the talk of the town. This includes pictures of the duo at a New York City bar in 2020 and at a Mississippi casino in 2024. Amid this, netizens have now dragged the late-night show, Saturday Night Live, into the drama.
Amid the constant leaks in the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel story, many fans have begun wondering why NBC's Saturday Night Live hasn't come out with a sketch about the same. This is because knowing the comedy sketch show, they should have been all over a storyline like this, where a prominent NFL head coach has not only been photographed but also videotaped with a well-known NFL insider several times over in the past seven years in intimate and personal settings. Since the story broke, Dianna has resigned from her position at The Athletic, and Mike has apologised for his behaviour.
Now, almost four weeks into the scandal, SNL has not touched the topic at all. One fan calling out the show and expressing their surprise and disappointment over the lack of a Mike and Dianna sketch wrote, “Not one joke from SNL about the Vrabel – Russini scandal that's been going on for 4+ weeks?”
With the initial post gaining traction on X, other fans have begun sharing their theories on why SNL might not have come out with a Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini sketch yet. One user wrote, “Wonder why? NBC holds a major 11-year NFL media rights deal (2023–2033) valued at approximately USD 2 billion annually, primarily for broadcasting “Sunday Night Football”. The contract includes streaming rights on Peacock, Super Bowl rotations, and features an opt-out window after the 2029-2030 season.” Another fan added, “The people I know that consistently watch SNL would have no idea who Vrabel or Russini even are..I think the James Pearce Jr story is way bigger news..they should make fun of that first.”
An X user wrote, “NBC is right with the NFL. They'll never.” A comment read, “I know you and I respectfully disagree here, but I will again make the point that I don’t think this is really a story anyone really cares about outside of the Bills, NYJ & Eagles fan bases. It’s interesting from a gossip perspective, but that is about it. Anyway, just my opinion.”
The latest leak in the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini drama came on May 7, 2026, in the form of an unseen boat ride video of the duo. What caught fans' eyes most was that, in the clip, Dianna appeared to be 6-7 months pregnant with her first child. The video was reportedly taken in 2021 when Dianna was known for covering the Tennessee Titans while Mike was their coach. With fresh spotlight on the scandal, NFL insider, Mike Florio warned that now that the boat story is out, fans should “expect the unexpected.” In his words:
“In a story where we’ve had no way of expecting whatever is coming next…You have photos of the two of them at a marina at some lake in Tennessee from June 2021, and then the next day, a video of an extremely pregnant Dianna Russini walking down the dock with Mike Vrabel. Who would’ve expected that? And that just proves the point: expect the unexpected.”
Check out the post here.
What are your thoughts on the way SNL is handling the Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini scandal?
Also read: 'He Is Sleeping With More Women', Mike Vrabel Faces New Allegations Amid Dianna Russini Affair Row