Dianna Russini appears to have submitted her last ballot for the annual NFL Honors awards.

The reporter, who left The Athletic following allegations involving her and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, had been among the 50 journalists chosen to vote in the Associated Press’s high-profile awards poll since 2022.

Russini and Vrabel, both of whom are married and have children, denied claims of an affair after photos surfaced showing them together at an adults-only Arizona resort.

The images quickly spread online and led The Athletic to open an investigation into the matter. Additional photographs later emerged that appeared to show the pair kissing at a New York City bar in 2020.

Following the controversy, critics called on the AP to make ballots from previous NFL Honors voting public. The scrutiny has centered in part on Vrabel’s 2025 Coach of the Year win, while NFL podcaster Tony Farmer criticized the organization for refusing to release the records.

‘The Associated Press will not release its ballots so we can see if the woman on the left voted for the man on the right for Coach of the Year, and see who she voted for in slots 2-5,’ he wrote on X.

‘If Russini left Ben Johnson off her ballot like she did the prior year (Assistant COTY) when he received 29 1st-place votes, then that would be really tough to explain.’

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers criticized Russini’s former employer, ESPN, during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, accusing the network of failing to address the controversy.

‘What was this network doing?’ Rodgers said. ‘You had literally an individual that maybe used to work at ESPN, that covers our league at the highest level, and there’s a major scandal, and it’s just like nobody can [expletive] talk about it? What are we even doing here?

‘I understand, but if it’s affecting certain things, if there’s leaks going on, if there’s tampering going on, if that person is also an MVP voter and a Coach of the Year voter, remember when I won MVP in 2021 and that [expletive] in Chicago? That’s real life. How are we allowing these people to have an impact?’

Daily Mail Sport has asked AP to clarify whether Russini would be voting this year. They stopped short of directly answering the question however, in a quote, seemed to suggest that would not be the case.

A spokesperson said simply: ‘The makeup of AP’s NFL awards voting panel changes regularly as sports reporters change positions and organizations, and this year is no different.’

According to Page Six, Russini is now considering offers to return to the NFL beat and is preparing to share her side of the story. The report claims that the 43-year-old, who was paid around $800,000 a year by The Athletic, has turned down a host of interview offers and intends to speak out ‘on her own terms’.

Earlier this month, The Athletic published the results of its probe. It found that Russini was ‘noncompliant’ with its standards but that also there was limited evidence of bias in her reporting.

‘Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards. Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,’ it said.

‘Specifically, when it comes to The Athletic’s standards, Russini was noncompliant.’ 

Mike Semel, The Athletic’s editorial director for standards and quality, said that he found no ‘clear link to conclude that Russini used her platform to help promote Vrabel or help his teams during her time at The Athletic.’

He did, however, find occasions when the NFL insider wrote ‘glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable.’

Following the investigation, Russini said in a statement: ‘I stand by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career.’

Russini was a reporter for ESPN covering the Tennessee Titans when Vrabel was head coach, before later joining The Athletic while he ended up back the Patriots, whom he had represented with distinction as a player, winning three Super Bowl rings early in an unprecedented era of dominance.

Vrabel issued an apology just before the NFL Draft, missing the final day of the event to attend counselling. In his first season in New England, he turned around the misfiring franchise to lead them back to a place in the Super Bowl.

Maxx Crosby chose Las Vegas over a potential move to Los Angeles.

The Raiders’ standout edge rusher reportedly declined a chance to join the Rams after a proposed trade that would have sent him to the Ravens collapsed, ESPN reported.

Los Angeles eventually shifted its focus, landing Browns star Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

The report adds another compelling “what if” to an NFL offseason that has already featured plenty of intrigue surrounding Crosby’s future.

A blockbuster deal involving Crosby and the Ravens appeared to be in place, but it was called off in March amid concerns about completing the trade because of health-related issues.

After that agreement fell apart, the Rams reportedly became the most aggressive team attempting to capitalize and acquire Crosby.

MORE STORY: Public Defender Accused of Hammer Attack, Biting Ex After He Rejected Romance Attempt

One source told ESPN that interested clubs were looking for a “pennies on the dollar” price, with the Eagles, 49ers and Cowboys also showing interest in the Raiders pass rusher.

Crosby, 29, reportedly made it clear that he was not interested in leaving the Raiders — even if the destination was a Super Bowl contender like the Rams.

Although the precise timing remains unclear, Crosby voiced his enthusiasm about returning to Las Vegas in March after the Ravens trade failed to reach the finish line.

“Everything Happens For A Reason,” Crosby wrote on X. “Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back. Run That S–t.”

The Rams certainly pivoted well in landing Garrett three months later, and they further beefed up their defensive line with Aaron Donald un-retiring.

Garrett had an inauspicious debut for the Rams in their 27-7 loss to the 49ers in Australia on Wednesday, failing to record a quarterback hit or sack.

Crosby and the new-look Raiders make their season debut Sunday at home against the Dolphins, with Las Vegas installed as a slight home favorite for Klint Kubiak’s coaching debut.

Sweden votes Sunday in a closely watched general election, with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s center-right bloc narrowly trailing the center-left Social Democrats led by former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson. Mass migration, gang crime and economic pressures have emerged as the dominant concerns for voters.

“Years of gang violence, Islamist extremism, persistent unemployment and pressure on public services have intensified the debate over whether integration has kept pace with immigration,” foreign policy expert and author Daniel Schatz told News Media.

After Germany’s AfD won a state election last week, Sweden’s hard-right Sweden Democrats could be poised to enter government if Kristersson’s side prevails again. The Associated Press reported that the anti-immigration party has moved closer to the political mainstream and could receive cabinet positions. Until now, it has backed Kristersson’s government without formally joining it.

The Associated Press reported that the Sweden Democrats were founded by activists from far-right extremist movements, including neo-Nazis. Under leader Jimmie Åkesson, however, the party has softened its rhetoric and expelled racist members. Åkesson, who has led the party since 2005, is widely credited with transforming it from a marginal force into a major player in Swedish politics.

Once held up as a model Western welfare state, Sweden has faced mounting economic pressure as governments on both the left and right have been compelled to overhaul parts of the country’s social welfare system.

Social benefits remain broad, but Sweden’s welfare model has evolved amid rising crime and continued public expectations for extensive state support.

“Sweden went from being described as a ‘humanitarian superpower’ to a ‘humanitarian basket case.’ Discontent with migration policies extends to both foreign-born and native-born residents. Shootings have declined sharply, but fewer shootings do not mean the integration problems are solved,” added Schatz, who is Swedish.

Prime Minister Kristersson’s government took power in 2022, as the nation was experiencing a dramatic rise in gun-related violence, with the country witnessing 391 shootings resulting in 62 deaths, according to The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, a government agency under the Ministry of Justice.

The homicide rate in Sweden has been on the rise since 2013, when gun homicides contributed to a general increase in Sweden’s total homicide rate.

The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention notes that Sweden’s homicide rate ranks very high compared with other European countries, at approximately four deaths per million inhabitants per year.

MORE STORY: Australian Comedian Faces Backlash Over 9/11 Joke

The average for Europe is approximately 1.6 deaths per million inhabitants.

The issue of immigration is another major issue that dovetails with voters’ concerns over crime and gun violence. Like much of Europe, Sweden experienced a wave of immigration in 2015 coming from those fleeing the Syrian civil war as well as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sweden took in over 160,000 asylum seekers in 2015, or 12% of all those who sought protection in the EU, according to Sweden’s Migration Agency.

“After the 2015 influx of asylum seekers from Syria and other war-torn countries strained its reception system, Sweden began tightening its borders. The current government has taken that shift much further,” Schatz said.

Prime Minister Kristersson’s parliamentary ally, the right-wing Sweden Democrats, filled the void in the anti-immigration position in parliament.

Nicholas Aylott, professor of political science at Södertörn University in Stockholm, told News Media that the link between the increase in immigration and the rise in crime changed Swedish politics.

“Migration and law-and-order became much higher electoral priorities,” Aylott said.

“The Sweden Democrats based their pitch on them. The other parties, rather belatedly, adapted their positions. The Sweden Democrats had at first been completely ostracized by the other parties, but they were gradually accepted as a legitimate partner by three of the other parties of the right between 2018 and 2022,” he said.

As the anti-immigration backlash rose and the Sweden Democrats were more included in the policymaking process, Sweden cracked down on immigration and made it harder to seek asylum.

While asylum claims dropped and gun violence was dramatically reduced as well, with only 158 shootings and 44 fatalities to date, the government still might suffer a defeat at the hands of Andersson’s center-left coalition.

For many premium travelers, airport lounge access is meant to offer a calm break from the packed gate areas — a place to enjoy complimentary food and drinks and unwind before boarding.

Yet among United Airlines customers, the supposedly relaxing United Club experience has become the latest flashpoint in America’s expanding debate over tipping.

Passengers are sharply split on whether United Club bartenders should receive a dollar or two per drink. Some view a small gratuity as basic courtesy, while others say they have never tipped at an airline lounge — and do not plan to begin.

At the center of the argument is a question many lounge guests find uncomfortable: when admission already covers meals and beverages, should travelers feel any pressure to tip?

The United Airlines lounge tipping discussion took off on Reddit when one customer posed a direct question: ‘Is it okay to not tip at lounges?’

The responses showed there is no clear consensus. One traveler wrote: ‘Tipping is out of control, no never in lounges.’

Others took a more generous approach. One commenter said they routinely leave $1 for every drink, while another said they tip between $1 and $2 because they can afford it and would feel uneasy leaving nothing.

For some frequent flyers, though, the decision comes down to exactly what they are ordering and the level of service they receive.

‘If I’m drinking alcohol, I tip a buck a drink, otherwise, I don’t tip,’ one traveler explained.

But there was an equally vocal group refusing to budge.

‘I have NEVER tipped in an airline lounge and I do not intend to start,’ one passenger wrote.

Another said tipping is perfectly acceptable for those who want to do it – but the expectation should disappear.

And that is where the real tension lies: not whether passengers are allowed to tip, but whether they should feel obliged to.

Airport lounges have been around for decades, long before the modern American tipping explosion.

American Airlines is widely credited with pioneering the airline lounge concept when it opened its first Admirals Club at New York’s LaGuardia Airport in the 1930s. 

Other airlines followed, including United, which developed its exclusive 100,000-Mile Club for frequent travelers before the concept evolved into its Red Carpet Club.

READ MORE: Georgia Man Faces Execution 23 Years After Realtor Murders

After United merged with Continental, the two airlines’ lounge brands were eventually brought together under the United Club name in 2011.

Today, lounges are big business and have transformed from relatively simple waiting areas into elaborate premium spaces offering complimentary food, drinks, Wi-Fi and work areas – with United also operating its more exclusive Polaris Lounges for eligible international business-class passengers.

That evolution has arguably made the tipping question even murkier.

A traveler sitting at a self-service buffet and pouring their own wine might reasonably wonder why they should tip at all. 

But someone ordering a cocktail from a bartender and receiving table service may feel more like they are visiting a conventional bar.

Some United customers also pointed out that not everyone working inside a lounge is necessarily a United employee. 

Reddit users said food-and-beverage workers can be employed by outside contractors, while United employees handle functions such as checking passengers into the club.

United does not publicly state that customers are required to tip lounge staff, and passengers are not breaking a United rule by declining to leave a gratuity.

That doesn’t mean tipping isn’t common. 

Travel experts have previously described tipping US airport lounge bar staff as customary rather than mandatory, with around $1 for a simple drink and $2 for a more elaborate cocktail often suggested as a guideline.

For some travelers, however, even that modest amount is becoming symbolic of a much bigger frustration.

‘Tipping needs to go away,’ one Reddit user wrote.

Another offered a more measured view: ‘Tipping can stay. The expectation of tipping is what needs to go away.’

There were also passengers who defended the workers, arguing that anger over America’s tipping culture should not be directed at bartenders simply doing their jobs.

Ultimately, there is no United rule forcing passengers to tip.

INTRO/PLAYBOOK

For months, the Raiders have been mapping out an offense under coordinator Klint Kubiak that features Brock Bowers as a central weapon.

Now, before that plan can fully take shape, Las Vegas must adjust to life without its standout tight end.

Bowers will miss Sunday’s season-opening matchup with the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium after undergoing minor knee surgery, placing an immediate spotlight on the Raiders’ roster depth, Kubiak’s ability to adapt and Michael Mayer’s preparedness for an expanded opportunity.

The fourth-year tight end was already in line for a meaningful role in a scheme designed to lean heavily on the position. With Bowers unavailable, Mayer’s importance rises even further.

Long before Bowers emerged as one of football’s most dynamic young tight ends, Mayer was creating plenty of buzz himself at Notre Dame, where he established himself among the best players at his position in college football. He entered the NFL with Las Vegas carrying the profile of a future cornerstone, though his path to consistent production has not unfolded quite as expected.

The Raiders-Dolphins opener gives him an opportunity to reshape that narrative.

Las Vegas is not asking Mayer to replicate Bowers’ unique skill set. Instead, the Raiders need him to deliver in the areas that define his own game: reliable hands, toughness after the catch and the punishing blocking that can preserve the flexibility of Kubiak’s offensive system.

Still, Mayer cannot be expected to carry the burden alone.

The running game is expected to be the engine behind much of what Kubiak wants to build. Ashton Jeanty’s performance as he returns from an ankle issue will offer an early gauge of that unit, while rookie Mike Washington Jr. will have a chance to turn an encouraging preseason into real regular-season impact.

If the Raiders establish consistent success on the ground, they can keep situations favorable for Kirk Cousins while forcing Miami’s defense to account for the play-action game that could open up behind it.

If they cannot, Bowers’ absence becomes considerably harder to navigate.

Cousins represents the other major piece of the equation. The Raiders are counting on his experience and familiarity with the offense to bring order to a group learning how to play together.

But command of the playbook must become command of the game. Cousins needs to deliver on time, recognize opportunities downfield and avoid the mistakes that can put a developing team in an early hole.

The defense faces its own examination.

Maxx Crosby remains the established force, but the Raiders will need their young secondary to communicate and tackle with a level of consistency that preseason games cannot fully measure.

Miami has every reason to test those defensive backs early, looking for hesitation or a missed assignment that can turn a routine play into something damaging.

RELATED: Oscar Isaac and Elvira Lind’s Enduring Love Story Revealed

Overseeing it all is Kubiak, whose responsibilities now extend well beyond finding the right offensive call.

Timeouts, fourth-down decisions, clock management and the emotional temperature of his team all belong to him.

Nobody needs a complete verdict on the Raiders by Sunday afternoon. But they do need evidence that the preparation has produced something functional and competitive.

Winning without their best offensive player would be a convincing place to start.

MARQUEE MATCHUP

Maxx Crosby vs. Dolphins left tackle Patrick Paul

Whenever Crosby lines up across from Paul, the Raiders will have a matchup capable of shaping the game.

Paul must contend with more than Crosby’s first move. He has to stay balanced, maintain his technique and finish blocks against a defender whose effort rarely diminishes as a possession wears on.

For Crosby, success extends beyond sacks. Disrupting early-down runs and forcing Miami to provide protection help can put the Dolphins behind schedule and create opportunities for his teammates.

That matters especially to the Raiders’ young secondary. The less time Miami has to let routes develop, the easier its assignment becomes.

Crosby does not need to win every snap. A handful of decisive victories could change the afternoon.

THE PICK

Raiders 24, Dolphins 14

The Raiders generate enough offense on the ground to keep Cousins out of a steady diet of obvious passing situations, and Mayer supplies a few important catches in Bowers’ absence. Crosby helps create the defensive disruption necessary to protect a young secondary, while Las Vegas limits the breakdowns that lead to easy touchdowns. Expect some uneven stretches in Kubiak’s debut, but the Raiders make enough timely plays to give their new coach his first victory.

4 DOWNS

First down: Make the running game matter

The Raiders need productive runs that influence how Miami plays defense. Consistent gains from Jeanty and Washington would help Cousins operate from manageable down-and-distance situations and give Kubiak access to the play-action game. The offensive line must create movement, avoid penalties and prevent negative plays from derailing possessions. Jeanty’s response following his ankle issue bears watching, as does Washington’s ability to carry his preseason momentum into the opener. Without Bowers, the Raiders have less margin for an offense repeatedly facing third-and-long. Establishing the run would make nearly every other assignment easier.

Second down: Keep the kids connected

The Raiders’ young secondary does not have to be flawless. It does have to stay organized. For Darien Porter, Treydan Stukes, Jermod McCoy and Zeke Masses, the challenge is processing what Miami presents without letting uncertainty become hesitation. Motion and shifting formations will test communication, while underneath completions will test tackling. Make the Dolphins earn long drives instead of giving them shortcuts through missed assignments or poor pursuit angles. Just as important is the response to a bad play. Miami will make some catches. The Raiders cannot allow one mistake to become three because a young defender starts pressing.

Third down: Get the dependable Cousins

The Raiders need the version of Cousins who brings clarity to an offense: identifying pressure, getting the ball out on time and recognizing when a modest gain is the right result. They also need him to punish Miami when opportunities arise. The Raiders cannot be so overly cautious in the passing game that they allow defenders to crowd the line of scrimmage. Without Bowers, Cousins must establish trust with Mayer and his other targets early. Converting third downs and finishing drives with touchdowns would validate the decision to put a veteran in charge. Protecting the football is essential.

Fourth down: Kubiak manages the whole game

Kubiak’s first test involves everything surrounding the play sheet. Can the Raiders get personnel on and off the field cleanly? Will they preserve timeouts for moments when they need them? Does he have a clear plan for fourth-down opportunities rather than making those decisions in a rush? An opener can expose organizational weaknesses as quickly as physical ones. Kubiak also sets the tone when adversity arrives. His team needs to see composure and conviction, along with the willingness to adjust. A close fourth quarter would test his preparation as thoroughly as anything Miami’s defense puts in front of him.

With the execution date approaching for a Georgia man convicted of murdering two real estate agents, the mother of one victim is reflecting on the lives of the women killed while at work — and on the continuing safety concerns facing real estate professionals.

Unless a court grants a last-minute stay or the governor issues clemency, 53-year-old Stacey Ian Humphreys is set to be executed Sept. 16 at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson.

Lori Brown, 21, and Cynthia “Cyndi” Williams, 33, were working on Nov. 3, 2003, from a model-home sales office in the Oakwind subdivision. The upscale Powder Springs development was expanding rapidly when Humphreys shot and killed both women.

Because the office was open to potential homebuyers, meeting people they did not know was an ordinary part of the agents’ daily work.

Williams returned from lunch and was the first to encounter Humphreys. Brown arrived soon afterward, unaware that an armed robbery was already in progress inside the office.

Prosecutors said Humphreys held the women at gunpoint, forced them to remove their clothing and murdered them before escaping with their ATM cards. Investigators found no evidence of sexual assault.

Ed Greathouse, a retired supervisory investigator for the Cobb County Judicial Circuit who helped prosecute the case, told News Media that detectives never established why Humphreys targeted that office instead of another in the subdivision.

A natural in real estate

For Brown’s mother, veteran real estate agent Linda Brown, her daughter’s warm and outgoing nature made real estate an especially natural career choice.

“Let me tell you, she was a rascal growing up,” Linda told News Media. “She had a gregarious spirit about her.”

“She was a people person from the time she was small. She never met a stranger. That’s why real estate was such a perfect place for her because she was really good at it.”

Brown formed a close friendship with Williams, who took Brown under her wing. She also planned to marry her high school sweetheart in 2004. She had been tasting wedding cakes and looking at venues, Linda said.

On the day she was killed, her wedding-planning notebook sat neatly on her office desk.

“Sometimes I think it’s my fault. I should have never let her go in this direction with real estate but, you know, she was going to do what she was going to do,” Linda added.

Arrest and conviction

After the murders, Humphreys used the stolen bank cards to withdraw over $3,000, according to court records.

On Nov. 8, 2003, authorities arrested Humphreys in a rental Jeep Grand Cherokee, following a high-speed chase in Wisconsin. Investigators found the murder weapon inside the rental, along with Williams’ blood on the gun. They found Brown’s blood inside Humphreys’ personal vehicle, according to the Georgia Supreme Court record.

MORE STORY: Country Singer Brian Duckworth Dies at 56, Leaving Fans Heartbroken

Greathouse said investigators believed Humphreys was heading toward Canada when a Waukesha County officer apprehended him.

“It was fairly common knowledge in prison, where he had been, and certainly in law enforcement, that if you get to Canada, Canada won’t extradite you back to the United States, unless the prosecutor absolutely will not pursue the death penalty,” he said.

Although Humphreys insisted he did not remember killing the women, he told investigators, “I know I did it. I know it just as well as I know my own name.”

Authorities learned that Humphreys was behind on his vehicle payments and had taken out a high-interest payday loan he could not afford.

In 2007, a Glynn County jury convicted Humphreys of two counts of malice murder, along with armed robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault. He pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

In favor of the death penalty

The state scheduled Humphreys’ execution for Dec. 17, 2025, but the State Board of Pardons and Paroles postponed the date and his clemency hearing amid legal challenges.

Greathouse said obtaining a death sentence was unusual during his years working capital cases in Cobb County.

“I did 13 death penalty cases in Cobb County during my tenure, and that was, I think, one of two we actually achieved the death penalty,” he said. “It’s really rare.”

Nearly 23 years after her daughter’s death, Linda remains skeptical that Humphreys’ execution will take place.

“Not only did we lose these two girls, but we had to go through 4.5 years waiting for a trial to come to an end. So, here we are 23 years later,” she said. “I’m still in favor of the death penalty for this man that took their lives.”

Humphreys’ attorney filed a motion this past week to try to throw out his death sentence over claims of jury misconduct, but a judge rejected that motion on Thursday, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.

Safety for real estate professionals

Linda continues to speak about the case during National REALTOR® Safety Month, an initiative held every September to raise awareness about safety risks in the profession.

“A lot of my friends had said to me at that time, ‘We know you’ll probably want to get out of real estate,’” Linda said. “I thought about it a long time, and I decided that I was not going to let this man drive me out of my profession.”

Linda said she avoids taking clients into basements or putting herself in places where she could become cornered, and she walks behind prospective buyers while showing homes.

“I’m not saying that what happened to Lori and Cyndi, that they could have done anything different from what they did. They were very vulnerable.”