(Image via Getty: Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini)
Background: Mike Florio is a former lawyer who practiced for 18 years before turning his passion for football and blogging into a full-time career. Chris Simms is a former quarterback for the Tennessee Titans and a former coaching assistant for the New England Patriots.Now, the point of discussion: In the latest appearance on the NBC Sports, NFL analyst Chris Simms said,“Well, [Mike Vrabel/Dianna Russini] 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 NBC Sports’ regular contributor Mike Florio cut Simms’ sentence and prompted in succession, “Stay on target.
Stay on target. Stay on target.”
Mike Florio mentions Stars Wars as example for cutting Chris Simms’ sentence
Simms felt like he was cut off mid-way, stopped his chain of thought, and asked, “What are you talking about?” Florio went silent. Simms repeated, “What are you talking about?” Florio warned, “Careful! I’m trying…I’m trying to…You’ve ever seen Star Wars?” Simms responded, “Um, yeah.”Florio explained, “As Luke is going down, his wingman is telling him, ‘Stay on target.’ There’s a lot there, and only so much that’s reported and known. I’m just trying to help you.” Simms replied, “Alright, in Star Wars, do they have this thing called ‘shut up,’ then they just let the person talk?”Florio laughed and said, “I’m just trying to help ya!” Everything/anything about the “top NFL reporter Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel” universe is probably super-sensitive at the moment, and Florio was probably just trying to stop Simms from saying anything related to it.
But this careful stopping did not sit right with fans. When MLFootball posted their conversation video on X, it quickly went viral, garnering over 1 million views, 7 million hearts, 100+ comments, 500+ reposts, and 2K+ bookmarks.
Fans slam Mike Florio for stopping Chris Simms
One post read: “Florio s**ks. He’s bought, and he always puts his personal opinion into every subject.”Another said, “He stopped Chris Simms from speaking about his friend Kyle Shanahan’s wife, making comments about Diana Russini.
Sounds like he was trying to keep Chris from hurting his friendship with Kyle more than anything.”A third user speculated, “Florio’s style is definitely to keep the broadcast tight on his terms. Feels like they have a lot more drama going on behind the scenes than makes it to air.”A fourth user expressed, “Florio wants to always control the narrative and thinks he has that same control over other people. So much for free speech on his show unless he’s the one talking.”A fifth user speculated, “He’s covering Simms’ a** and also making sure his program, aka his livelihood is also protected. Anything Simms would say is hearsay and could have a defamation lawsuit their way. Her resignation letter reads that way, she will blame others & her suing others is a possibility.”
Dianna Russini to join Barstool Sports after resignation from The Athletic?
Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14. TotalProSports’ Darrelle Lincoln shared an X post by Game 7, which speculated that Russini’s resignation could open another chapter for her. “She is one of the most recognizable NFL insiders in the country and now a free agent,” the post read. The post mentioned that it would not be about whether she would be signed; it would be about who’d sign her. And “the single most interesting answer on the board is Barstool Sports,” the post ended.
