Patriots Complete A.J. Brown Trade as Mike Vrabel Shrugs Off 2025 Leak Allegations

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 3

A.J. Brown’s move to New England was finalized Tuesday, reuniting him with Mike Vrabel after months of trade speculation tied to Brown’s frustration in Philadelphia.
Vrabel used his news conference to focus on football, saying he was not trying to figure out what happened with the Eagles and thanking personnel chief Eliot Wolf for making the deal happen.
No questions at the presser addressed allegations that Vrabel leaked trade details to Dianna Russini, despite reports she had accurately flagged Patriots-Eagles talks as far back as September 2025.
Russini’s reporting on Brown’s market was largely borne out, but the column says suspicions over how she obtained that information damaged her reputation and led to her resignation from The Athletic.
With Brown in Foxborough and local media moving on, the report argues Vrabel has largely escaped the controversy unless new facts revive scrutiny.

Sources

Coach Vrabel secured his star player and his job. Was reporter Dianna Russini the only one who truly lost?

Did the Eagles' trade of A.J. Brown signal a strategic rebuild or a costly mistake for their offense?

After a reporter's career ended over sourcing claims, is the era of the NFL 'insider' coming to an end?