Dianna Russini, The Athletic’s senior NFL insider, is under internal review after photos surfaced that show her with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at the adults-only Ambiente resort in Sedona, Arizona. The images have led The Athletic and its parent company to sideline Russini’s reporting while editors dig into what exactly was going on. Both Russini and Vrabel have publicly denied any inappropriate conduct.
What the photos show
The images, first published by Page Six and then splashed across sports and gossip feeds, show Russini and Vrabel reclining by a pool, sitting together in a hot tub and embracing on a private rooftop. In some shots, they appear to be holding hands. As reported by NBC News, witnesses quoted by Page Six offered conflicting accounts about whether other people were present during the visit. The look of the photos alone was enough to trigger a fast editorial response inside sports newsrooms.
How The Athletic is responding
Front Office Sports reports that The Athletic has launched a formal probe into Russini’s explanation of the trip and is reviewing her past coverage. According to that reporting, Russini has been taken off reporting duties while the review plays out. Sources told Front Office Sports that editors are trying to verify claims that others were present at the resort and that the process could stretch on for a while. Russini’s byline has not appeared on The Athletic since the photos hit the internet.
Official responses so far
The photos are “misleading and lack essential context,” The Athletic’s executive editor Steven Ginsberg told NBC News. Russini told the Post that “the photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” describing a wider social setting than what appears in the still images. Vrabel told Page Six the pictures showed a “completely innocent interaction” and called continued speculation “laughable.” What began as a firm public defense from The Athletic has, according to reporters, shifted into a deeper internal review as more details have surfaced.
Why editors worry
News organizations tend to panic at the faintest whiff of conflicted loyalties, and for good reason. Most newsroom ethics codes warn against undisclosed personal relationships with people who are being covered. As USA TODAY notes, The New York Times’ editorial standards tell staffers that “relationships with sources require sound judgment and self discipline” and that romantic involvement with a news source “would foster an appearance of partiality.” That kind of language appears to be shaping how The Athletic is handling the Russini situation.
What’s next
The review is still underway, and editors are seeking witness statements and records to confirm who was actually present at the resort, The Guardian reports. For now, Russini, who according to AOL joined The Athletic in 2023, has not bylined any stories since the photos were published, and the outlet has signaled that the internal review could take time. We will update as soon as The Athletic or the parties involved release additional information.
