NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after photos of her with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel prompted an internal investigation. The New York Post published the photos, which were taken at an Arizona resort before NFL owners meetings began in Phoenix on March 29. Russini sent a resignation letter on Tuesday to The Athletic's executive editor Steven Ginsberg.
Mike Vrabel did not attend New England's pre-draft news conference on Monday. Ginsberg sent an internal memo to staff at The Athletic about the matter, and the outlet initially defended Russini after the photos emerged. The Athletic expanded its review after additional reporting raised questions about Russini's coverage of Vrabel and the nature of their relationship.
The leadership of the publication has taken this matter seriously from the moment that we learned about it.
The outlet will continue a standards review of Russini's work. The resignation comes amid heightened scrutiny of journalistic ethics in sports media, particularly regarding relationships between reporters and the subjects they cover. The Athletic's internal investigation was triggered by the publication of the photos, which depicted Russini and Vrabel together at the resort.
This incident has sparked discussions about professional boundaries in NFL reporting circles. The ongoing standards review will examine Russini's past work to ensure compliance with The Athletic's editorial policies.
When this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns, but we received a detailed explanation and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continued to review the matter. As additional information emerged, new questions were raised that became part of our investigation. While our investigation into Dianna's conduct was ongoing, she chose to resign.