The Athletic has released a long-awaited standards review about former reporter Dianna Russini’s relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and it paints the media entity as something of a trusting victim of a reporter who hid truth from her employer.
The report does not attempt to conclude whether Russini had a romantic or physical relationship with Vrabel that helped her reporting through the years.
But the report, authored by The Athletic’s editorial director for standards and quality Mike Semel, ultimately decided that the company was uncomfortable with the relationship Russini had with Vrabel.
Dianna Russini attends the “A Lifetime Of Sundays” screening at The Paley Center for Media in New York City on Sept. 18, 2019. (Astrid Stawiarz/WireImage)
THE ATHLETIC EXECUTIVE EDITOR ADMITS KEY MISTAKE MADE IN IN HANDLING OF DIANNA RUSSINI CONTROVERSY: REPORT
“Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards,” the report reads. “Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed.”
Semel believes Russini didn’t use her platform to promote Vrabel. But he does not delve into the obvious possibility that the reporter used the relationship to help her own career.
“I’ve not found a clear link to conclude that Russini used her platform to help promote Vrabel or help his teams during her time at The Athletic,” Semel writes. “That said, there are examples of Russini writing glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable.”
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel speaks to reporters at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix on March 31, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
And let’s be clear: The Athletic should be “uncomfortable” with Russini covering Vrabel “glowingly” because it raises an unspoken possibility of a quid pro quo exchange between the journalist and the coach that might help her work product
The Athletic report cited only one story by Russini that “likely would not have happened were it not for the connection between Russini and Vrabel.”
The Athletic said its methodology in doing this investigation was extensive. It …
- Reviewed 903 stories and 77 videos published on The Athletic site and app that carried Russini’s byline, co-byline, a contributor line or a mention of her reporting.
- Reviewed 204 episodes of the Scoop City podcast, produced by The Athletic and co-hosted by Russini.
- Reviewed about two dozen off-platform appearances or interviews for which Russini was in some way representing The Athletic.
- Interviewed about two dozen Athletic staffers who had worked most closely with Russini at the publication.
- Compared The Athletic’s coverage of Vrabel to other platforms.
A source familiar with the report told OutKick that Russini did not speak with Semel for this report nor was her phone available for inspection by The Athletic.
The report states that on April 7, 2026, Russini contacted executives at The Athletic and The New York Times Company to tell them of an impending Page Six article that would suggest a romantic relationship between her and Vrabel.
She told her bosses the story would include photographs of the pair together, taken at a Sedona, Arizona resort. Russini apparently acknowledged a close relationship with Vrabel at that time, “but stressed that it was strictly professional,” the report states.
Page Six eventually published photos of Russini and Vrabel on the roof of a bungalow holding hands and embracing. It also published photos of the pair at a pool and at a hot tub together.
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It should be noted that The Athletic did not contact Vrabel in authoring this report. It did, however, speak with Russini’s friends and colleagues within the company.
Dianna Russini introduces Minnesota Vikings players as they celebrate after the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
The report does not specify if The Athletic asked Russini to provide exculpatory evidence that would alleviate concerns the company might have about a relationship it found in violation of its standards.
And ultimately, The Athletic report makes it clear that Russini lost trust within the company because of the manner she handled the release of the New York Post’s information.
“[W]hen first confronted with the photos by The New York Post,” Semel explains, “Russini waited two days before telling her editors and managers. She then told a story to explain the photos that did not align with facts, raising issues of trust.”
Vrabel has suffered no professional discipline from this episode, neither from the NFL nor the Patriots. Russini resigned her post from The Athletic months ago and even deleted her social media presence.
She has not commented publicly about the issue beyond social media — at least not yet.
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