Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic on Tuesday after photos emerged showing her holding hands and hugging New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury resort in Arizona.
The images, taken during NFL league meetings but away from official sessions, were obtained by the New York Post and published on Tuesday evening with the headline declaring the two were seen embracing at a Sedona hotel.
Russini told the Post reporter who approached her home on Easter Sunday that she and Vrabel had been in Arizona for league meetings, according to two people briefed on the interaction, but maintained the photos did not accurately reflect their interaction.
She immediately contacted a crisis communications strategist and later appealed directly to Meredith Kopit Levien, chief executive of the New York Times Company, which owns The Athletic, according to five people familiar with the conversation.
Vrabel, the reigning AP NFL Coach of the Year, coordinated his response with Russini but did not respond to requests for comment from ESPN.
The Athletic initially defended Russini publicly but faced internal backlash from employees, with several staff members telling ESPN they were outraged over the situation and questions about her conduct.
An internal investigation was launched into whether Russini had misrepresented the nature of her relationship with Vrabel, her NFL coverage, and whether she had been truthful with the company about the Arizona meeting.
By Tuesday, Russini had resigned amid the ongoing review, marking a swift end to her tenure as one of the league’s most prominent NFL reporters.
What the fallout reveals about media access in the NFL
<!– wp:paragraph >The incident underscores the tightrope walked by reporters who rely on close team access to break news while maintaining perceived objectivity, especially when personal interactions with coaches become visible in public spaces.
/wp:paragraph –> <!– wp:paragraph >Vrabel’s continued role as head coach, despite the scrutiny, suggests the NFL may view such entanglements as primarily a media ethics issue rather than a league matter, absent any violation of team or NFL policies.
/wp:paragraph –> <!– wp:heading >Why did Russini resign if both parties said the photos were misleading?
/wp:heading –> <!– wp:paragraph >Russini resigned amid an internal investigation at The Athletic into whether she had been truthful about the nature of her meeting with Vrabel and whether her actions compromised journalistic standards, even if no romantic relationship was proven.
What happens next for Vrabel and the Patriots?
/wp:heading –> <!– wp:paragraph >Vrabel remains in his position as head coach and is preparing for the upcoming NFL draft, having faced no formal discipline from the team or league as of the report’s publication.
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