The Los Angeles Chargers have the reputation of producing the NFL’s best schedule release videos and the only people they disappointed Thursday evening might be the New England Patriots, that team’s fans, coach Mike Vrabel and former reporter Dianna Russini.
Because in their video, the Chargers went there.
They referenced the relationship between the Patriots’ head coach and the former reporter in their video.
The entire Halo-themed video is worth your 6:13 viewing time.
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But in Week 12, when the Chargers host the Patriots at SoFi Stadium, the video makes that point by showing a couple of militiamen on ATVs headed into the playoffs when suddenly they get a message.
“NYPost sent you a message,” pops up on the screen.
And suddenly the militia guys wipe out.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talks to quarterback Drake Maye during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 19, 2025. (Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
It was, you’ll recall, the New York Post’s Page Six that first published photos of Vrabel and Russini lounging by a pool, and in a hot tub, and holding hands and embracing on the roof of a private bungalow in Sedona, Ariz., the first week of April.
Those photos and several others, released by both the Post and other online publications, eventually led to Russini resigning from The Athletic and deleting her social media presence.
Vrabel, meanwhile, stumbled though multiple press conferences while trying to both avoid and explain the issue without ever really providing details. He missed the final day of the NFL Draft while flying to Utah and seeking “counseling” after what he called painful conversations with his family.
This was not the first time the Patriots got tagged as the team with a coach who had a cozy “relationship” with a reporter. The club was swamped with snarky comments when it saluted fans on Mother’s Day.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
PATRIOTS MOTHER’S DAY SALUTE TURNS INTO A TROLL FRENZY
The Chargers didn’t merely pick on the Patriots and their “situation.”
They went after every opponent in some form or fashion.
They mocked the Ravens for their aborted trade for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. They went after the New York Jets for their inability to intercept passes after that team failed to collect even one interception on defense in 2025.
And aside from making reference to the Vrabel-Russini situation, the Chargers also pointed out the Patriots played an easy schedule last season.
“Conquer the cupcakes,” the video flashes.
Dianna Russini attends the “A Lifetime Of Sundays” screening at The Paley Center for Media in New York City on Sept. 18, 2019. (Astrid Stawiarz/WireImage)
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The NFL, by the way, does not oversee, approve or disapprove of team schedule release videos. So, the league is washing its hands of what the Chargers or any other teams might do to troll the Patriots.
And if the Patriots are upset with this mere 10 seconds of video on an opposing team’s video because it brings up an uncomfortable situation, they’re probably in for a long season of mocking by opposing fans.
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Source: https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/chargers-troll-patriots-schedule-release-video-subtle-vrabel-russini-reference
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