NFL Reporter Dianna Russini Resigns from The Athletic Following Controversy Over Photos with Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel

Veteran NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic, ending weeks of internal scrutiny that followed the emergence of photographs showing her holding hands and embracing New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury hotel in Arizona.

Russini, 43, submitted her resignation in a statement to The Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg, obtained by The Associated Press. “I stand behind every story I have ever published,” she wrote. “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.”

The photographs were reportedly taken March 28 at the Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Arizona. Both Russini and Vrabel, 50, are married. In separate statements, each maintained the interaction was entirely innocent. “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini told Page Six she was on a hiking trip with two female friends and that the images did not capture the broader group context. “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” she said. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

The Athletic’s parent company, The New York Times, confirmed the outlet was reviewing the nature of Russini’s relationship with Vrabel and whether her coverage presented any conflict of interest. The Times acquired The Athletic in 2022.

Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 as senior NFL insider and host of the Scoop City: Inside the NFL podcast. She noted in her resignation statement that the publication initially “supported me unequivocally” after the photos surfaced. Her formal departure comes ahead of her contract’s scheduled expiration on June 30.

Vrabel was appointed head coach of the Patriots in January 2025, returning to the franchise where he spent eight seasons as a linebacker. He celebrated his 26th wedding anniversary with wife Jen Vrabel last year. Their son Tyler, 25, is an offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons.

The episode has reignited debate around journalistic ethics and the boundaries reporters must maintain with league sources and coaches.