From Scandal to Seattle: How Mike Vrabel dodged a bullet from Dianna Russini and The Athletic
The Athletic found disclosure breach but no evidence that Russini promoted Vrabel or his teams
Mike Vrabel is trying to close the door on the Dianna Russini controversy just as The Athletic formally concluded that the former NFL insider violated its standards by failing to disclose the nature of their relationship.
The New England Patriots coach was asked about the findings this week, months after photographs of him and Russini together triggered scrutiny of her reporting and ultimately led to her resignation from The Athletic.
“No, I don’t have any reaction,” Vrabel said. “We’ve moved on and focused on Seattle and focused on the Patriots and focused on getting better this week.”
He added: “Try to just say that I’ve moved on and excited about this new opportunity.”
The Athletic’s conclusion was narrower than some of the speculation that followed the photographs.
The outlet didn't determine that Vrabel and Russini had a romantic relationship, nor did it find clear evidence that her journalism was manipulated to favor him. What it did find was a disclosure failure.
“Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic,” the report said, “it was a breach and should have been disclosed.”
Broad review of Russini’s work
The investigation was led by Mike Semel , The Athletic’s editorial director for standards and editorial quality, and covered virtually every part of Russini’s output during her time at the company.
Semel reviewed 903 articles, 77 videos and 204 episodes of her Scoop City podcast, along with approximately two dozen appearances on other platforms.
He also interviewed around 14 Athletic employees and compared dozens of stories involving Vrabel and his teams with coverage from rival outlets. The review found that only about five percent of the 903 pieces mentioned Vrabel or one of his teams.
Semel also stopped well short of accusing Russini of using her platform to advance Vrabel ’s interests.
“I’ve not found a clear link to conclude that Russini used her platform to promote Vrabel or help his teams during her time at The Athletic,” he wrote.
Still, Semel said the conflict should have been disclosed so editors could decide what assignments, if any, were appropriate.
“Russini should have disclosed to The Athletic the nature of her relationship with Vrabel to allow editors to assess the kinds of stories on which she should have been working, if any,” he wrote. “She did not.”
Nature of the relationship unresolved
The controversy began in April after Page Six published photographs showing Russini and Vrabel together at a resort in Arizona. More images later emerged from earlier years.
Russini had described the relationship as “close” but “strictly professional” and said the original photographs failed to show the wider group context.
The Athletic ultimately said it “neither completed an investigation nor reached any conclusion about the nature of the full relationship between Vrabel and Russini.”
Its review did, however, criticize Russini ’s response after she first learned the photographs would be published, saying she offered “a story to explain the photos that did not align with the facts, raising issues of trust.”
Russini resigned from The Athletic in April and has continued to defend her body of work. Vrabel , meanwhile, appears determined to leave the subject behind as the Patriots prepare for the season.
