The Athletic investigates conduct of reporter photographed with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel

Media

Photographs of the reporter, Dianna Russini, and Mike Vrabel of the New England Patriots appeared in The New York Post.

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco on February 7, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Fanatics

By Katie Robertson, New York Times Service

April 13, 2026 | 4:06 PM

1 minute to read

The Athletic is investigating the conduct of a senior NFL reporter, Dianna Russini, after the publication of photographs that showed her with Mike Vrabel, the head coach for the New England Patriots, according to a person familiar with the inquiry.

This past week, The New York Post’s Page Six column published photos of Russini and Vrabel holding hands and hugging at a resort in Arizona, as well as sitting together in the hotel’s hot tub.

According to the person familiar with The Athletic’s investigation, the nature of Russini’s relationship with Vrabel and her coverage are being reviewed and she will not be reporting while the investigation is underway.

The Athletic’s editorial guidelines require that their journalists avoid any activities that pose a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict, so as not to call into question their credibility. The Athletic is owned by The New York Times Co.

Russini told the Post that she and Vrabel were there with a group of friends: “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.” Vrabel told the Post that the photos “show a completely innocent interaction.”

Steven Ginsberg, the executive editor of The Athletic, said in a statement to the Post that the photos were misleading and “lack essential context.”

“These were public interactions in front of many people,” he said. “Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.”

Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 and is a co-host of the “Scoop City” podcast. She previously worked at ESPN, where she was a “SportsCenter” anchor.

Russini, Vrabel and Ginsberg did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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