Simmons Shares Father's Take Blaming Russini for Patriots Slide

Bill Simmons, founder of the sports and pop-culture outlet The Ringer, read his father's assessment of the New England Patriots on the air Monday, attributing the team's decline to fallout from an alleged affair involving former head coach Mike Vrabel and sports journalist Dianna Russini, according to the New York Post.

What did Simmons' father say about the Patriots?

Simmons shared his father's comments on Monday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," which was recorded after the Patriots' 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, the Post reported.

"'It's like I'm watching Mac Jones again,'" Simmons said, quoting his father. "That was an actual quote."

"'I think Dianna Russini ruined our season,'" Simmons continued. "He said that. 'Should we try [Tommy] Devito?' Dead serious."

"You know, it was so exciting to have a franchise quarterback, even if it was only for one year."

Simmons attributed that closing line to his father as well, describing it as delivered near the end of the game, according to the Post.

What is the Vrabel-Russini situation Simmons referenced?

The elder Simmons' comments tie the Patriots' on-field struggles to what the Post described as "the offseason Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini drama," referencing Vrabel's alleged affair with the former NFL insider. The Post did not provide additional detail on the nature or timeline of the alleged affair beyond noting it as the starting point Simmons cited for the team's decline.

Bill Simmons told listeners the incident marks the origin of what he called a difficult stretch for the organization. "Its tough when you can't explain what's going on with your team," Simmons said, according to the Post. "The Pats in this post-Mike Vrabel Sedona era, the looks sloppy as hell. They look poorly coached and it looks like he has no feel for the team. And I really do think it all starts with that."

How did the Patriots perform against Jacksonville?

The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6 on Sunday, a result the Post cited directly ahead of Simmons' podcast remarks. The Post did not report additional statistical detail from the game, such as quarterback Drake Maye's individual passing figures, beyond the final score.

Data points from the report

• 35-6: Final score of the Jaguars' win over the Patriots, per the Post.
• February 2026: The Patriots' most recent Super Bowl appearance, cited by the Post as a marker of how far the roster has turned over since.

What has changed on the Patriots' roster this season?

The Post noted that New England has not fielded the same roster since its Super Bowl appearance in February, with receiver Stefon Diggs replaced by A.J. Brown among the personnel changes cited. The outlet framed the turnover, combined with what it called "the vibes and energy around the team," as contributing to the on-field performance, tracing the shift back to the Vrabel-Russini matter.

Why does the podcast comment matter for the team's narrative?

Simmons, a longtime Boston sports fan, used his father's remarks to frame what he called a "Year From Hell" candidate season for the Patriots. "And the Year From Hell team, which I think we have a bunch of candidates this year, starts with the Vrabel-Russini stuff, goes all the way through," Simmons said, according to the Post, before asking rhetorically, "What good thing has happened with the Pats?"

The elder Simmons' suggestion that the team consider quarterback Tommy Devito in place of Drake Maye was delivered, per his son's retelling, in apparent seriousness rather than as a joke. The Post reported no response from the Patriots organization, Vrabel, Russini or Maye to the remarks.

The Post's report did not include comment from team officials, and no statement from Vrabel or Russini was included in the source material. The podcast exchange, as relayed by Simmons, remains the primary public commentary tying the coaching change to the team's on-field results this season.