NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from her role at The Athletic after photos of her with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel were published.
Russini broke the news in a letter sent to The Athletic’s Executive Editor, Steven Ginsberg.
“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” she wrote. “When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that, I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”
“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,” she added. “It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept. Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”
Russini had been on staff at The Athletic since 2023, joining after almost a decade at ESPN. Both she and Vrabel are married to other people.
Russini’s resignation comes less than a week after Page Six published photos of her and Vrabel at a resort in Arizona. The pictures, which were reportedly taken at the Ambiente Sedona hotel before the NFL owners’ meetings that began in Phoenix on Mar. 29, caused Russini to be pulled from reporting duties at The Athletic.
After the photos were published, Russini said (via a statement) that they “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.”
Vrabel also released a response, writing, “Those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
Russini and Vrabel’s professional relationship stretches back to 2018, when Russini covered the Tennessee Titans for ESPN and Vrabel was the team’s head coach.
