Exclusive photos appear to show New England Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel and New York Times’ NFL reporter Dianna Russini holding hands and hugging at a luxurious hotel.
The pair were spotted at the Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona two weekends ago.
Moments at Luxury Hotel
Vrabel and Russini had breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, before spending an hour or so together at the pool and lounging side-by-side in a hot tub.
The pair were later seen on the private rooftop of one of the hotel’s bungalows, which feature glass walls offering panoramic views.
Photos show the two hugging at sunset, and weaving their fingers together as they stand face-to-face. An eyewitness said they saw the pair briefly dance together.
Conflicting Accounts Emerge
Russini and Vrabel insist they were there with friends. A source close to Russini says she was staying at the hotel during a hiking trip with two female pals.
One of Vrabel’s friends said that they and the coach drove up to Sedona for the day with another pal and that they all drove back to their own hotel, some two hours away, after hanging out with Russini and her gang.
Three other eyewitnesses said that they did not see anyone else with Vrabel and Russini. Asked if the Pats coach visited the hotel with a group of friends, one eyewitness said: “No, he was with a girl.”
Photographs taken at various points during the day show only Vrabel and Russini.
Hotel Details and NFL Meetings
Vrabel attended a scouting event at Arizona State University in Tempe on Friday, March 27, before travelling to the Ambiente.
The adults-only Ambiente prides itself on being a romantic getaway. The hotel boasts about proposals, anniversaries and honeymoons that have been celebrated at the hotel.
After being seen with Russini, Vrabel headed to the Biltmore hotel in Phoenix for a meeting of the NFL Competition Committee.
Russini was among many NFL reporters at the Biltmore when media had access to owners, executives and coaches.
The Athletic published a dispatch about the Biltmore meetings written by Russini and Jacob Robinson.
Russini has been one of the more prominent football reporters in the country for more than a decade and routinely covers the Patriots as part of the gig.
- Vrabel attended a scouting event at Arizona State University on March 27.
- The Ambiente hotel boasts about being a romantic getaway.
- Vrabel attended a meeting of the NFL Competition Committee at the Biltmore hotel.
Russini joined “SportsCenter”.