Dianna Russini Announces Final Decision on Her Future at The Athletic
Seven days after the Mike Vrabel controversy came to light, Dianna Russini has made a final call on her future at The Athletic.
Last week, Page Six released photos of Russini and Vrabel spending time together at the luxurious Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The images were taken on March 28, a day before the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting began in Phoenix.
The Athletic placed Russini on leave while they looked into the matter. On Tuesday, she decided to leave the company on her own terms.
Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press obtained a letter Russini sent to The Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg, where she announced her resignation. Russini said she made her decision, "because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career."
You can read the full statement below:
In a letter sent Tuesday to Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg and obtained by The Associated Press, Dianna Russini said: "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…
— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) April 14, 2026
More to come.
Dianna Russini's Future in Sports Media Is up in the Air
Russini emerged as one of the NFL's top insiders during her time at ESPN, which spanned from 2015 to 2023. It was a major victory for The Athletic when it hired Russini away from the Worldwide Leader in Sports in 2023.
Now, it's anybody's guess where Russini goes from here. As she emphasized in her resignation letter, other outlets have quickly jumped to their own conclusions on the photos of her with Vrabel.
Russini's contract with The Athletic was set to expire in June, so perhaps she figured there was minimal chance of signing an extension after the Vrabel controversy. At any rate, it'll be interesting to see where she goes from here.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 14, 2026 at 1:23 PM.