Dianna Russini has strong response to The Athletic’s investigation into alleged ‘noncompliant’ affair

Dianna Russini isn’t changing her tune even after being labeled “noncompliant.”

Russini, a former reporter for The Athletic who quit after the reveal of an alleged affair with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, defended herself after her former company published Thursday the results of its multi-month investigation into her reporting and the potential effect of the purported relationship.

“I stand by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career,” Russini told The Athletic.

Vrabel, meanwhile, pulled a page out of the Bill Belichick playbook when asked about the findings, with The Athletic labeling the pair’s alleged affair a “clear violation” of its standards.

“No, I don’t have any reaction to that,” Vrabel said Thursday. “We’re moved on and focused on Seattle and focused on the Patriots and focused on getting better this week.”

If you’re having flashbacks to “We’re onto Cincinnati,” the famous Belichick quote, you’re not the only one after Vrabel sidestepped that question like a quarterback evading a pass rusher.

He also wanted nothing to do with a follow-up question about if he views the situation is “fully behind” him.

“Try to just say that I’ve moved on and excited about this new opportunity here as we start this season,” he said during a press conference.

On April 7, Page Six exclusively published photos of the two — who each are married with children — holding hands and interacting with one another at a resort in Arizona.

She initially defended the photos to Page Six.

“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” she said. “Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

As more instances of the pair seeming friendly with one another emerged, Russini quit the company in April and yet again maintained innocence in a resignation letter.

“I have come to this decision with deep sadness but with clarity about what is right for me, my family, and the work I have spent in my career building,” Russini wrote “I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published. When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.

“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept. Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”

The Athletic began its investigation in April to examine whether the alleged relationship affected her reporting on Vrabel, who previously coached the Titans from 2018-24 before joining New England in 2025.

Russini covered Vrabel with ESPN early in his career before joining The Athletic in 2023, and the two were captured canoodling during her time with both companies.

The Athletic’s editorial director for standards and quality Mike Semel said he reviewed 903 stories, 77 videos and 204 podcasts from The Athletic featuring Russini and roughly 25 non-company appearances, while also interviewing 14 individuals who had worked with her.

He did not speak directly with Russini, per ESPN.

Semel came to the verdict that Russini was “noncompliant” with The Athletic’s standards.

“Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards,” he wrote. “Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed.”

He added: “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. She did not.”

The report also called out Russini for lying about Page Six’s scoop that featured photos of the pair engaging at hotel in March.

“She then told a story to explain the photos that did not align with facts, raising issues of trust,” he said.

Semel further noted that most of Russini’s articles on Vrabel focused more on news and transactions, but it still created issues.

“That said, there are examples of Russini writing glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable,” he wrote.