Chris Simms talks about Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel while Mike Tomlin snatches his NBC Sports job away
So much is happening around the alleged Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal. Russini lost her job. But anyone even remotely associated with the alleged Sedona cheating scandal is being dropped one by one. First, Dianna Russini gave in her resignation to The Athletic [part of The New York Times].Then, Crissy Froyd was fired from USA TODAY after she commented on Dianna Russini’s resignation. And now, Chris Simms was let go from Football Night in America after Mike Tomlin entered the NBC Sports realm.
Chris Simms comments on Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini and his NBC job reportedly goes to Mike Tomlin
Simms was about to spill the beans on Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel when his co-host, Mike Florio, advised him not to.Simms said, “Well, it’s the biggest story in the NFL. I’d shoot you straight, these are things that I’ve been texting with… about my friend… with my friends in the coaching world… even their wives are involved in the conversation as well…”When Florio interrupted him and continuously went on humming, “Stay on target. Stay on target. Stay on target.” Simms may have lost the target, but he spoke his mind. This may not have sat well with NBC Sports.And then comes the news of Mike Tomlin entering the broadcasting world after coaching in the NFL for nearly two decades. This news was exciting, but may not have been for Simms, who was probably scorned for saying, “I’ve been texting with my friends in the coaching world…”
Are Mike Tomlin and Chris Simms friends?
The duo shares a professional and respectful relationship from their time together in Tampa Bay [2003-05]. Simms is a former Tampa Bay quarterback, and Tomlin was the Buccaneers’ defensive backs coach at the time.Now, could his firing be because of his comments about coaches? As soon as the longstanding coach entered the broadcasting world, his firing news broke. Is this issue so fragile? It seems to heavily affect anyone even slightly associated with Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel.“I’m not on the show anymore, Mike,” Simms told Mike Florio. “I don’t know if anyone told you. I will not be a part of Football Night in America. They told me that last week, so that’s just going to be a different aspect. That hurt because I do love it.”This cutthroat competition, which probably centers on Simms’ Dianna Russini/Mike Vrabel comment, welcomed another coach reportedly linked to Dianna Russini.
Mike Tomlin hired by NBC Sports despite Dianna Russini connection
While even those remotely associated with Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel are reportedly being let go, the opposite has occurred for another NFL figure, an NFL coach.Back in October 2020, ESPN’s Steve Levy highlighted Dianna Russini’s impressive reach via an X post: “Good job, [Samantha Ponder], for pointing out how nearly impossible it is in 2020 to get a pregame interview with an NFL coach, and [Dianna Russini] gets both [Mike] Tomlin and [Mike] Vrabel.”Russini secured pregame interviews with two coaches, Mike Vrabel and Mike Tomlin, on a single Sunday morning during COVID-19 restrictions.Despite this connection coming to light only recently, Mike Tomlin has been awarded a broadcasting role on Football Night in America, a position once held by Chris Simms.
