Dianna Russini’s Resignation Following Investigation at The Athletic

An investigation by The Athletic determined that former NFL reporter Dianna Russini breached company standards due to her relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, leading to her resignation in April. The investigation did not assess the specific nature of her relationship with Vrabel, although Vrabel acknowledged responsibility for his actions without commenting on photographs showing him and Russini at an Arizona resort.

Vrabel temporarily left the team during the NFL draft’s third day for counseling and returned soon after. The report stated, “We neither completed an investigation nor reached any conclusion about the nature of the full relationship between Vrabel and Russini, but the totality of the public photographs are enough to conclude a violation of company policy.” Steven Ginsberg, the executive editor at The Athletic, confirmed this conclusion in a message to employees, emphasizing the importance of journalistic integrity and audience trust.

Mike Semel, editorial director for standards and quality at The Athletic, conducted a review of Russini’s work, analyzing 903 stories, 204 podcast episodes, and 77 videos. According to Ginsberg, the review found most of Dianna’s stories unrelated to Vrabel, and few mentioning him raised concerns. However, they added editor’s notes to four pieces that did not meet their standards.

Public photographs of Vrabel and Russini surfaced, reportedly from Sedona, Arizona, prior to the NFL meetings in Phoenix on March 29, as reported by the New York Post. Both Vrabel and Russini are married, and the NFL chose not to investigate Vrabel’s conduct.

Semel wrote in the report, “Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards. Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed.” Vrabel led the Patriots to the Super Bowl, losing to Seattle, and was named AP NFL Coach of the Year in his first season, significantly outperforming Jacksonville’s Liam Coen.

Russini responded to the allegations, affirming her journalistic professionalism throughout her career. She expressed gratitude for the support she received from The Athletic at the onset and criticized unfounded speculation from various media outlets. In her resignation, she stated her decision to step away was to avoid perpetuating the narrative, asserting it should not define her or her career.