The internal investigation into former NFL insider Dianna Russini's reporting has dragged on for more than two months with no resolution in sight, and Friday brought the latest sign that an answer isn't coming anytime soon. Front Office Sports media reporter Michael McCarthy said sources confirm The Athletic's review of Russini's work remains active, even as the story that triggered it has largely faded from the news cycle.
Why is The Athletic's investigation into Dianna Russini taking so long?
The short answer is that there's simply a lot of ground to cover. The Athletic's executive editor, Steven Ginsberg, told staff earlier this month that the process needed more time precisely because of how much material needs review. He said the paper wanted to be careful and thorough, and added that any reporting found to need correction would be corrected as the process unfolds. That's not a small task. Russini covered the NFL nationally, including stories that touched on the Patriots, for years before the scandal broke.
“Update on The Athletic’s Dianna Russini investigation. Sources say investigation is still ongoing,” McCarthy wrote on X. “And a reminder: The investigation is limited to the former Senior NFL Insider’s journalism for The Athletic, not her conduct.”
McCarthy's update added an important wrinkle Friday. He noted the inquiry is examining Russini's journalism specifically, not her personal conduct. That's a meaningful distinction. It suggests editors are trying to determine whether her relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel ever crossed into her actual coverage, rather than litigating the relationship itself. Whether that line holds, or whether new findings blur it, remains to be seen.
What started the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel controversy?
It began in early April, when Page Six published photos showing Russini and Vrabel holding hands, embracing, and sharing a hot tub at an adults-only resort in Sedona, Arizona. Both are married to other people. Vrabel called the interaction completely innocent. Russini said the images didn't reflect the full group of six people she'd been socializing with that day. The Athletic initially stood behind her, but internal pressure built fast, and the paper opened a formal investigation on April 11.
Three days later, Russini resigned, writing that she stood behind every story she'd ever published and didn't want to give the saga any more oxygen. Then, on April 23, the first day of the NFL Draft, Page Six published older photos showing the pair kissing at a New York bar back in March 2020, months before Russini married her husband. Vrabel missed part of the draft to deal with the fallout at home.
Since then, Dianna Russini has mostly gone quiet, while Vrabel has kept coaching, with the Patriots backing him publicly through a Super Bowl run and into this month's mandatory minicamp. The investigation, for now, just keeps going.
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About the Author: Prantik Prabal Roy is a passionate sports writer who eats, breathes, and lives the game. Since 2020, he has been in the content writing industry after completion of his Master's degree in English literature and covering the NFL since 2024 with sharp insights, while also diving into the NHL and MLB with equal enthusiasm. He loves crafting content that drives traffic without sacrificing quality. He blends storytelling with analysis to keep readers hooked. When he’s not writing, Prantik can be found cheering on the Buffalo Bills or diving into books that celebrate the world of sports.
