Dianna Russini resigns from The Athletic after photos published with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel
NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet.
The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the NFL owners meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29.
"I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published. 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," Russini said in a letter sent Tuesday to Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg, which she shared on social media.
"Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. 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."
Who is Dianna Russini?
Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after nearly a decade at ESPN, where she held various roles, including SportsCenter anchor, NFL analyst and insider.
She hosted a podcast for The Athletic and made appearances on their video platform.
Vrabel and Russini, who are both married, released statements to the Post after publication of the photos downplaying what the photos depict.
Russini said they "don't represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day."
Vrabel told the newspaper: "Those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable."
CBS News Boston reached out to the Patriots for comment on Tuesday, but have not yet heard back.
"Business as usual" for Mike Vrabel
Vrabel didn't attend New England's pre-draft news conference on Monday. Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf was not asked directly about the situation, but was asked by a reporter how involved Vrabel has been in the process over the last week.
"Very involved. I mean, business as usual," Wolf responded. "I would say he's been in there with us probably – this round of meetings, probably a little bit more than he was last year, just because I know, there's the coaching staff, he's probably more – this is me putting words in his mouth – probably more comfortable just where things stand from that standpoint. But he's been in there. He's been contributing. He's watched a ton of the players."
The New York Times reported Saturday that the digital outlet was investigating Russini's conduct.
That decision came after Ginsberg previously told the Post that the photos "lacked essential context" and lauded her work with The Athletic.
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with New England, is preparing for his second season as coach of the Patriots. He was the AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 14-3 finish last season, which ended with a Super Bowl loss to Seattle. Vrabel previously won the AP NFL Coach of the Year award with Tennessee in 2021.