Rodgers Again Calls ESPN Gutless Over Russini Coverage

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has renewed his criticism of ESPN, calling the network a gutless organization for what he described as its silence on the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel controversy. Rodgers made the remarks during an appearance on the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast, days before Pittsburgh's season opener, and repeated an accusation he first leveled on The Pat McAfee Show about a month earlier. Rodgers argued that ESPN, Russini's former employer, has devoted extensive time to other NFL stories while giving little attention to the situation involving Russini, a former NFL insider at The Athletic, and Vrabel, the New England Patriots head coach. He contrasted that with the network's featured coverage of San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York, who was arrested in an Ohio prostitution sting in August. According to Reuters reporting cited in coverage of the case, York allegedly arranged to pay 140 before his arrest and later pleaded no contest after the charge was reduced to disorderly conduct. They spend so much time on certain issues, but you won't talk one second about the Dianna Russini situation, Rodgers said.