NFL Makes Surprising Final Decision On Punishing Teams That Crack Evil Jokes About Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini Scandal During Schedule Release
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
The NFL will not interfere with teams making Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini jokes in their schedule-release videos on Thursday.
NFL teams typically use their schedule releases to make fun of each other; it’s the only real opportunity they get across the board.
This year, all eyes will be on the New England Patriots, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately (and fortunately), the league will not protect them.
According to Front Office Sports, the NFL “is adopting a strictly hand-off approach,” leaving the Vrabel-Russini scandal fair game.
“The league is not reviewing videos in advance,” FOS reports, citing a source. “Instead, clubs will continue to control the content of their memes and videos from start to finish. The young, aggressive, social media wags at all 32 clubs will be free to mock Vrabel and the Patriots if they wish.”
Will The Los Angeles Chargers Step Up?
ESPN allowed ‘Inside the NBA’ to poke fun at the situation. The show added Vrabel and Russini to their yearly graphic, which makes fun of teams and characters being sent home, showing them in a Titanic-themed pose on their boat.
The boat rental bombshell dropped sometime after, suggesting Charles Barkley and Co. already knew.
“This is the day when teams are licensed to poke fun at each other,” the FOS source was quoted as saying. “The (Vrabel story) has become such a public matter that teams can take the shot. You may get a call from the Patriots. But the league is not going to get involved.”
They added:
“The only time Park Avenue messages the teams is around labor, CBA, or the refs. The moments when they’re trying to negotiate—and they want everyone on message. If the Jets, Bills, or Chargers choose to ridicule Vrabel, that’s an issue between the teams. The league doesn’t need to mediate that.”
If any team will make fun of the scandal on Thursday, it’s likely to be the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers are known for using their schedule release to roast other teams over the wildest of occurrences. And the Patriots have unwittingly provided them with some of the best fodder they have ever had.
It could be diabolical…
And we won’t have to wait very long to find out whether Vrabel and Russini will be spared.
In any case, the NFL is not getting involved.
