Skip to main content
SI

Chargers Poke Fun at Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini Scandal In Schedule Release Video

Once again, the Chargers are kings of the schedule release video.
Eva Geitheim|
Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel were spotted together at an Arizona resort earlier this year.
Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel were spotted together at an Arizona resort earlier this year. | New York Post.

In this story:

Los Angeles ChargersLos Angeles RamsNew England PatriotsHouston Texans

2026 NFL schedule | AFC record predictions | NFC record predictions | Conor Orr’s best games |The Rams and the league’s ‘creative Super Bowl’

Unsurprisingly, the Chargers weren’t afraid to go there.

The Chargers' social media team has become known in recent years for their highly entertaining schedule release videos, which take pointed shots at their upcoming opponents.

The biggest scandal in the NFL this offseason has been Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini, who were photographed hugging and holding hands at an Arizona resort earlier this offseason. Since the New York Post published those pictures, more photos have continued to come out of them spending time together over the past six years. As a result, Russini resigned from her position with The Athletic and Vrabel missed Day 3 of the NFL draft to attend counseling.

Heading into the schedule release, the question was whether teams would poke fun at the scandal during the videos. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported earlier this week that the NFL has not deemed any subject unacceptable to touch in team’s videos, and unsurprisingly, the Chargers were one of the teams to tackle the subject.

The Chargers are slated to face the Patriots on Nov. 29 on Sunday Night Football this season. For that part of their video, they made fun of the scandal by including a graphic that read “NY Post sent you a message” and “next photo dump 1 mile.”

The Patriots, of course, were not the only subject mocked during the Chargers’ schedule release video. Here's a look at the best other moments from the video.

The best jokes from the Chargers’ schedule release video

From Vrabel-Russini to the Jets’ streak without an interception and Bo Nix’s injured ankle, the Chargers did not spare anyone in their video. Here are five of the other top moments from the Chargers’ schedule release.

Donna Kelce’s home renovations

The Chargers perfectly used Donna Kelce’s home renovations as the joke for their game against the Chiefs. The “Donna Kelce Modest Home Reno Bundle” graphic included the “free 4” shirts the Chiefs wore during Rashee Rice’s suspension and “wall art” from the Chargers’ win over Kansas City last season.

C.J. Stroud’s infamous post-game chat with Caleb Williams

For the Chargers’ game against the Texans in Week 9, they joked about the C.J. Stroud’s post-game conversation with Caleb Williams after the Texans-Bears 2024 matchup, a chat Williams didn’t seem too interested in. The moment has since become a meme, and one the Chargers added.

The electrical substation

The substation was a topic several teams playing the 49ers used in their videos. Theories went viral last season that the electrical substation near the team’s practice field contributed to their poor injury luck, and the Chargers had no mercy depicting it all in their release.

Ravens back out of Maxx Crosby trade

Like the substation, the Ravens backing out of the Maxx Crosby was a subject several teams touched on, including the Chargers, who poked up at the failed physical.

Puka Nacua live streaming

For the Chargers matchup against the Rams, they took aim Puka Nacua live streaming, even making up comments from Sydney Sweeney and about Ty Simpson.

Chargers, Puka Nacua, Rams.
The Chargers poked fun at Puka Nacua’s livestream during their schedule release video. | Chargers.

More NFL from Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Published | Modified
Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.

Home/NFL