The Athletic releases internal review of former NFL insider Dianna Russini
The Athletic published its internal investigation into Dianna Russini’s reporting after she resigned over a disclosed relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, finding violations of its conflict-of-interest standards.
The Athletic has made public an internal review of former NFL insider Dianna Russini’s reporting following her resignation after it was revealed she had a relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The probe, conducted by Mike Semel, concluded that the relationship breached the outlet’s standards, which require journalists to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest and to disclose any affiliations that could affect credibility.
Semel noted that Russini waited two days to inform editors after photos of her with Vrabel appeared in the New York Post, and that she subsequently provided a story that did not align with the facts, raising concerns about trust. The review identified only minor issues requiring editorial notes, such as a video portraying Vrabel in a 2025 training-camp incident and a column remark about the Tennessee Titans’ decision to attempt a two-point conversion.
The report also referenced a 2023 statement by Russini asserting that Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk would not fire Vrabel, which was later contradicted by his dismissal. The investigation appears to close the matter between The Athletic and Russini, pending any further response from her.