The NFL released the full 2026 schedule on Thursday night, and one of the big questions many people had entering the night related to the relationship between NFL reporter Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
Would any NFL social media teams actually joke about the scandal in videos for the schedule release?
Inside the NBA certainly did, at least. But the assumption has been that, while the NFL doesn’t review schedule-release videos in advance, it’s a situation that organizations wouldn’t want to touch.
Unless the Los Angeles Chargers were to do so.
The Chargers are known for being willing to take shots at teams and people, and for jokingly referencing general stories in their annual schedule-release video. And the Patriots are one of the teams on the Chargers’ schedule in 2026. NFL insider Albert Breer was among the people speculating that the Chargers may very well allude to the scandal.
Well, the Chargers indeed made a few references to the Russini-Vrabel saga.
Los Angeles went with a “Halo” theme for its wacky 2026 schedule-release video.
And when the game vs. the Patriots was revealed (Nov. 29 on NBC’s Sunday Night Football), the video featured a sign reading, “Next Photo Dump: 1 mile,” followed by a direct-message notification from the New York Post.
should we REALLY make our schedule release video in halo?
yes yes yesyes
yesyes yes yes yes
yes yes yes yes yes
yes yesyes yes yes
yes yesye yes yes
yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/eusK9QmNGd— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 14, 2026
Here’s what the Chargers social media team did for the Patriots matchup with the Vrabel saga ongoing: pic.twitter.com/aETbcHokjk
— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) May 14, 2026
I was hoping to see the Spotify playlist pop up and @chargers as usual do not disappoint. #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/iITnirJ2eS
— Josh Cramer (@JoshCramer19) May 15, 2026
Dianna Russini made a Spotify playlist called “TURNIN THE PAGE” that she shared with a user named “Mike” on December 19, 2022.
Which just so happens to coincide with a four-game Titans losing streak pic.twitter.com/IkIdwLUPHi
— David Covucci (@DavidCovucci) April 27, 2026
“They went there,” ESPN’s Laura Rutledge vaguely explained about the Chargers’ schedule-release video during the network’s television special about the NFL schedule release on Thursday night.
“They went there… Oh yeah. Okay, and we’re going to leave it at that.”
The Chargers tackled the Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal in their NFL schedule-release video. https://t.co/2omhFDtUnx pic.twitter.com/9U3MKpu1Zm
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 15, 2026
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.