NBC drew attention during its NFL season-opener pregame coverage to the offseason scandal involving New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former sports reporter Dianna Russini, a subject the team and coach have been keen to move past. Host Maria Taylor referenced the episode on air ahead of the Patriots' clash with the Seattle Seahawks, reminding viewers that Vrabel had missed the final day of April's NFL Draft to seek counselling after photographs of him with Russini emerged, before the broadcast moved on to discuss the team's roster changes.

The relationship became a major story after photos surfaced in April, prompting Vrabel to step away temporarily for counselling; he has since largely avoided discussing the matter, including after The Athletic published a standards review last week concluding that Russini's relationship with him was "in clear violation" of its editorial standards. Russini resigned from The Athletic over the affair and is reportedly planning to address the controversy publicly once she returns to work. Patriots analyst and former player Devin McCourty insisted on air that the team had "fully moved past" the offseason distraction and that players were focused solely on the new season, though the article notes the story could resurface if the Patriots underperform.