‘The Athletic’ will continue its internal investigation of Russini.

NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigns following leaked vacation photos with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel

'The Athletic' will continue its internal investigation of Russini.

By Sharareh Drury

April 14, 2026 5:28 p.m. ET

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Dianna Russini in San Francisco on Feb. 7. Credit:

Cindy Ord/Getty

- NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from *The Athletic* after the publication of photos of her and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel holding hands.

- Russini and Vrabel, who are both married to other people, claim nothing romantic happened between them.

- *The Athletic* will continue its internal investigation over the photos.

NFL reporter Dianna Russini is no longer with *The Athletic*.

Her exit comes a week after *Page Six* published photos of Russini holding hands with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Ariz. The two are both married to other people.

Russini shared her letter of resignation to *Athletic* executive editor Steven Ginsberg on social media, writing "I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published. When the *Page Six* item first appeared, *The Athletic *supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts."

"Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process *The Athletic *is trying to complete," Russini added, referring to the *New York Times*-owned outlet launching an internal investigation over the photos.

Dianna Russini, Mike Vrabel.

Jeff Schear/Getty; John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty

"It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept," Russini continued.

Russini, who previously worked at ESPN as an NFL analyst and *SportsCenter* anchor, explained that she made the decision to leave *The Athletic *ahead of her contract expiring on June 30.

"I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career," she wrote.

Following Russini's resignment, Steven Ginsberg, the executive editor of *The Athletic*, shared a message with his staff on Slack, which was provided to ** by sources at *The Athletic.*

"Hi all, I'm writing to let you know that Dianna Russini has submitted her resignation from *The Athletic*, effective immediately. While I can't share the details of our investigation into Dianna's conduct, I want to emphasize that the leadership of The Athletic has taken this matter seriously from the moment that we learned about it," Ginsberg wrote.

"Our coverage at *The Athletic* is deeply rooted in our integrity and our commitment to earning the trust of our audience. Our newsroom has thrived because of our core journalistic values, and we will always ensure they are protected. When the 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 our colleague while we continue to review the matter. As additional information emerged,new questions were raised that became part of our investigation," he continued.

Ginsberg noted Russini chose to resign amid the outlet's investigation. A standards review of her work will continue, led by Mike Semel, *The Athletic*'s new editorial director for standards and editorial quality.

"Amid all of this, I want to sincerely thank everyone for continuing to produce the best sports report in the business. I am looking forward to focusing on our journalism and continuing our momentum," Ginsberg wrote at the end of his message.

Dianna Russini reporting for ESPN in 2019.

Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Both Russini and Vrabel initially released statements to *Page Six *following publication of the vacation photos.

"These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable," Vrabel, who previously played for the Patriots as a linebacker and was named head coach in January 2025, told the *New York Post*'s celebrity and gossip brand. "This doesn’t deserve any further response."

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Russini's statement added context to their outing at the resort.

"The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day," she told the *NYP** *in her own statement. "Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues."

Vrabel is married to his college sweetheart Jen. The couple shares two adult sons who also play professional sports.

As for Russini, the New York native married Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020. The couple also have two children.**

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