NFL Reporter Dianna Russini Resigns from The Athletic After Vrabel Photos Spark Controversy

Dianna Russini, one of the NFL's most prominent reporters, has stepped down from The Athletic, the New York Times-owned sports outlet announced on Tuesday. Her resignation comes less than a week after the New York Post published photographs of Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona, taken before the NFL owners meetings began in Phoenix on March 29.

In a letter addressed to The Athletic's executive editor Steven Ginsberg, Russini defended her career while acknowledging she had grown weary of the fallout. "I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published," she wrote. Russini noted that The Athletic initially supported her "unequivocally" when the story first broke, expressing confidence in her work. But she argued that commentators in the days that followed "engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts."

Russini said the frenzy was escalating without regard for the internal review process the publication was conducting, adding that she had no interest in participating in a public inquiry that had already caused what she described as disproportionate damage. "Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now," she wrote, noting her contract would have run through June 30. She stressed she was not accepting the narrative surrounding the episode but was refusing to lend it further oxygen.

The photographs, published by Page Six, showed Russini and Vrabel at the resort pool, in a hot tub, and on a rooftop deck, with some images appearing to show the pair embracing and holding hands. Both Russini and Vrabel, who are each married to other people, have maintained the interaction was platonic and had been taken out of context. Russini said the images failed to show they were part of a larger group gathering. Vrabel called any suggestion of impropriety "laughable."

In an internal memo to staff, Ginsberg said The Athletic's leadership took the matter seriously from the outset. He noted that when the situation first emerged, leadership received a detailed explanation and chose to defend a colleague during the review. He added that additional reporting raised new questions about Russini's coverage of Vrabel and the nature of their relationship. Russini's resignation does not end the process. Ginsberg said the publication would continue a standards review of her work.

Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 following nearly a decade at ESPN, where she served as a SportsCenter anchor, NFL analyst, and insider. She later hosted a podcast for The Athletic and appeared on their video platform.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with the New England Patriots, is entering his second season as the franchise's head coach. He guided the Patriots to a remarkable 14-3 record in 2025 and was named AP NFL Coach of the Year, though the season ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.