Sports

Inside The Fallout of the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel Photos

By Curtis Jones · April 20, 2026

One of the most prominent reporters in NFL media resigned last week from her position at The Athletic, less than a week after photos of her with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel surfaced publicly and triggered an internal investigation.

Dianna Russini, widely regarded as one of the most connected insiders in professional football, announced her resignation Tuesday in a letter to The Athletic’s executive editor Steven Ginsberg. Her departure was confirmed by a spokesperson for The New York Times Company, which owns The Athletic.

The episode began April 7, when the New York Post’s Page Six published photos showing Russini and Vrabel poolside, in a hot tub, and on a rooftop deck at the Ambiente luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona. Two of the photos showed them with intertwined hands. Both Russini and Vrabel are married to other people.

Russini initially said the photos were misleading.

“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” she said in a statement. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

The Athletic’s editor initially defended her, calling the photos “misleading” and lacking “essential context.” But as ESPN reported, The Times opened a formal investigation into Russini’s conduct, including a review of her past coverage, and benched her from reporting while the probe continued.

By Tuesday, additional information had emerged that escalated the investigation’s scope. Ginsberg acknowledged the shift in a memo to staff.

“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.”

Russini, in her resignation letter, did not address the nature of her relationship with Vrabel directly. According to CNN, she framed her departure as a refusal to continue being the subject of public speculation rather than an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. “I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career,” she wrote.

Vrabel, who led the Patriots to a 14-3 record and the AP NFL Coach of the Year award last season before a Super Bowl loss to Seattle, called the photos “a completely innocent interaction” and said the matter did not deserve further response. The Athletic’s review of Russini’s work is reportedly continuing.