Did ESPN Go Too Far With Its Dianna Russini Joke?

Dianna Russini used to work at ESPN. Before she was an NFL insider for The Athletic, she covered the league for the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Sunday night, ESPN took a public shot at her.

ESPN's "Inside the NBA" put Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel, holding one another a'la Jack and Rose on "The Titanic," on their Gone Fishin' boat following the loss of the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first round playoff series.

While many fans loved the joke, was it crossing the line for ESPN - which previously employed Russini - to be joking about her alleged infidelity?

Sports fans loved the joke. While some might argue that ESPN shouldn't be publicly joking about a former employee, the "Inside the NBA" crew is known for its no holds barred approach.

However, fans had some interesting reactions.

"I swear ESPN social has posted every Gone Fishin segment so far but not this one," one fan pointed out.

"I love it, they're never going to escape this. It's going to follow them around forever and that is endlessly hilarious," one fan shared.

"As a Celtics and Patriots fan this is funny and any Boston sports fan that gets sincerely mad at this is a loser. You want to dish it you gotta take it," one fan added.

"It's great that ESPN didn't screw up this show. Inside the NBA seriously makes me a basketball fan, and I can't dribble," one fan added.

"Thanks Kenny Smith! I'm curious why it's being avoided… Why can't they speak on it? This whole reaction is weird. So some of the creative control has been given away. If it were anyone else in the Titanic pose they would go in," one fan added.

Russini has maintained her innocence throughout this scandal

Russini, meanwhile, has maintained her innocence throughout this, claiming that the photos that leaked of her and Vrabel were misleading and lacking context.

"Over a career spanning more than fifteen years in sports journalism - at NBC, ESPN, and The Athletic - I have built a body of work I am proud of. I have broken stories, earned the trust of sources across the league, and been guided by the highest standards of professional conduct. That record speaks for itself.

"I remain grateful to The Athletic and for the extraordinary colleagues with whom I have worked there, for the platform it provided, and for the support you showed me during this difficult time. I wish you nothing but continued success."

She has yet to publicly respond to ESPN's joke.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 7:18 AM.