00:00Diana Russini has resigned from her job at The Athletic after Page Six published photos of her
00:05at a luxury hotel with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. The veteran NFL reporter shared the
00:10news in a letter to Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg, obtained by Page Six. The
00:15journalist said she's resigning to stop the speculation and damage surrounding the situation.
00:20Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic
00:25is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest
00:30in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.
00:36Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now, before my current
00:40contract expires on June 30th. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed
00:46around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my
00:52career. Russini had been at The Athletic since 2023 and had the title of senior NFL insider.
00:58In a memo to Athletic staff, Ginsberg confirmed Russini's resignation and said she had chosen to
01:03resign while the investigation was still ongoing. Ginsberg wrote,
01:07When this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns, but we received
01:12a detailed explanation, and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continue
01:17to review the matter. As additional information emerged, new questions were raised that became
01:22part of our investigation. Dave Portnoy shared his reaction to this news on X, writing,
01:27If we're just being honest, this explanation really makes zero sense. I don't think anyone
01:32should lose their job over alleged canoodling, but this statement makes it seem like there was
01:36definitely canoodling happening. An innocent canoodler would probably welcome a thorough investigation
01:41to prove their innocence and exonerate themselves, right? This screams guilty canoodler to me.
01:47Last month, Russini and Vrabel, who were both married to other people, were snapped at the
01:51Ambiente in Sedona, Arizona, a boutique resort in exclusive pics obtained by Page Six. A Page Six
01:57spy told us that the pair had breakfast on the patio of the hotel restaurant around 10.30 a.m.
02:03on March 28th,
02:04before spending a leisurely hour or so together at the pool and lounging side by side in a hot tub.
02:10Our spy spotted Vrabel and Russini again that evening on the private rooftop of one of the
02:16hotel's bungalows, which are only accessible from the two-person bungalows and cost up to $2,160 a
02:23night. Photos show the two hugging at sunset and weaving their fingers together as they stand face
02:28to face. The spy said they saw the pair briefly dance together. Both Vrabel and Russini addressed
02:33the photos in statements to Page Six. Vrabel told Page Six,
02:37These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This
02:43doesn't deserve any further response. Russini also told us,
02:47The photos don't represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.
02:51Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and
02:57other venues. Page Six exclusively reported that the New York Times, which owns The Athletic,
03:02sidelined Russini last week. We were told the publication was investigating the situation
03:06and reviewing her coverage and that Russini wouldn't be reporting for the outlet while the probe was
03:12underway.
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