Patriots' Mother's Day Post Draws Backlash Over Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini Scandal

Nearly every NFL team marked Mother's Day with social media posts honoring mothers and maternal figures, and the New England Patriots joined in.

The Patriots' post went up at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday. Within minutes, commenters brought up head coach Mike Vrabel's alleged unprofessional relationship with NFL reporter Dianna Russini.

Vrabel is married with two children. Russini is also married and a mother of two.

Replies filled with snark, disgust and vitriol poured in. Users posted AI-generated images of Vrabel and Russini on boats or holding babies resembling the coach. Some told the team's social media staff to skip the post entirely.

Others called on the NFL to step in and tell the Patriots it was too soon.

The reaction was no shock. Social media users often pile on accounts with large followings, like the Patriots' 4.4 million. People rush to comment sections after missteps, much like slowing for highway crashes.

Some asked what the Patriots should have done. Skip the Mother's Day post and stand out from other teams? Turning off replies might have helped, but that could draw notice too.

The backlash sent a clear message. Neither Vrabel nor Russini has admitted anything improper, out of bounds or adulterous, despite speculation. The issue lingers.

It may not fade by the NFL season kickoff without a big development, such as Vrabel resigning, getting fired or someone explaining what happened.

The Patriots organization now wears this mark. Rival fans from 31 other teams have not forgotten past New England scandals like Spygate or Deflategate. Those still get mentioned years later.

This fresh wound will stick around for some time. Sunday's post served as a reminder.