Former NFL reporter Dianna Russini plans to publicly address her relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel when she announces her next job, according to a source familiar with the situation.
A source told Page Six this week that Russini, 43, intends to share her side of the months-long controversy upon taking a new role and hopes to “speak on the matter and move past it once and for all.” She has been considering multiple offers and could accept more than one gig. A Week 1 debut is considered unlikely. The NFL season opened Wednesday night with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and Vrabel’s Patriots.
Russini has not spoken at length publicly since April, when she resigned from The Athletic. She rejected interview requests from networks, podcasts and reality television during the height of the story, preferring to control the timing and setting of any comments.
The story broke April 7 when Page Six published photographs of Russini and Vrabel at the adults-only Ambiente resort in Sedona, Arizona, in late March. The images showed them holding hands, hugging and sitting together in a hot tub and by the pool. Both are married with two sons each. Russini is married to Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt. Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, since 1999.
Vrabel initially called the photos “a completely innocent interaction” and any other suggestion “laughable.” Russini said the pictures did not represent a larger group of six people who were together that day and that NFL reporters commonly interact with sources away from stadiums.
The Athletic, owned by The New York Times Company, opened an investigation. Russini resigned April 14, days before her contract was set to expire June 30. In her resignation letter she stood by her reporting, said she would not accept “the narrative that has been constructed,” and said she did not want the episode to define her career.
Additional photographs later surfaced, including images from a New York City bar in 2020 that appeared to show the two kissing. TMZ reported a 2021 boat outing. Vrabel subsequently said he had “difficult conversations” with his family, the organization, coaches and players. He missed Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling and later described a focus on personal and team improvement and mental fitness. He has declined to detail the relationship itself.
On Sept. 3, The Athletic released findings from a five-month review led by editorial director for standards and quality Mike Semel. Investigators examined 903 stories, 77 videos, 204 podcast episodes and other appearances. The company concluded Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was “in clear violation” of newsroom standards because it created the appearance of a conflict of interest and should have been disclosed. “Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,” the report said.
The review found no clear evidence that Russini used her platform to promote Vrabel or his teams. About 5 percent of her work mentioned him or his clubs; none contained identified inaccuracies. Semel wrote that some glowing descriptions of Vrabel now read as “awkward or even uncomfortable” in hindsight. The outlet added editor’s notes to a small number of pieces. It did not complete a determination on whether the relationship was romantic. Russini had described it internally as “close” but “strictly professional.” The report also said she waited two days after the first photos surfaced before fully informing editors and offered an account that “did not align with facts,” raising trust issues.
After the findings, Russini said she stands “by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career.” Vrabel, asked about the report, said he had “moved on” and was focused on the Patriots and Seattle.
Flip the page for Russini and Vrabel together.
