Like so many other things in the world of the NFL, the annual announcement of the upcoming season schedule has become an event unto itself.
The cornerstone of that day is the team schedule-release videos that accompany the news. Like Super Bowl commercials, they tend to be big, brash, star-studded, and high-quality endeavors. And in some cases, they’re full of cheeky references and digs at the expense of upcoming opponents.
Given all of the drama and controversy surrounding Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and his relationship with former The Athletic NFL reporter Dianna Russini, there’s been a lot of speculation that some of New England’s opponents might decide to poke some fun in their announcements when the 2026 schedule is announced Thursday.
In fact, the Los Angeles Chargers, who have built a reputation as the most willing team in the league to take shots at everyone and everything in their annual schedule release video, have been rumored to be planning to do so.
While the NFL’s policy is not to review team video announcements in advance, the league has been known to put out a word that it would not be pleased with certain outcomes. So there is a thought that teams might avoid mentioning the touchy subject at the expense of an expected and obvious bit.
However, Inside the NBA’s recent graphic featured Vrabel holding Russini (who worked at ESPN from 2015 to 2023) at the front of the boat, her arms outstretched, recreating the infamous scene from Titanic, ripped the Band-Aid off for this sort of thing.
PFT’s Mike Florio said Tuesday that he heard the Chargers had initially backed off making a reference, but that could have changed following the Inside the NBA graphic.
“When I saw the Inside the NBA from this past Sunday night,” he said on PFT Live. “I sent that clip to my [Chargers] source, and my source never responded.”
The Patriots’ 2026 opponents include the Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers, Steelers, Jaguars, Packers, Vikings, Bears, Lions, and Seahawks. You can be sure NFL fans will be scouring their schedule announcement videos like it’s the Zapruder film for any references to the Vrabel-Russini situation.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.