Dave Portnoy reveals he’d hire Dianna Russini after Mike Vrabel scandal: ‘Not like a capital offense’



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Former NFL insider Dianna Russini has at least one job option if she ever decides to return to the public eye. 

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy told Us Weekly this week that he’d hire the ex-Athletic reporter in a second if she wanted to join the sports media outlet. 

“No-brainer, if she wanted to work here, we’d do it,” Portnoy said. 

Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini in January 2020. Dianna Russini/Instagram

Portnoy has been making the rounds promoting of his recently released memoir, “Cancel Me If You Can,” when he addressed the idea of Russini coming to Barstool Sports. 

Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after Page Six published a series of compromising photos of the reporter and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.

The photos showed the two at an Arizona resort, which led to denials of any impropriety from both parties. Both Vrabel and Russini have children with their respective spouses.

The heat got turned up when Page Six later posted photos of the two from years earlier, appearing to share a kiss in a dimly lit bar in Manhattan. After initially receiving strong support from The Athletic’s leadership, the sports media outlet opened up an internal investigation into Russini.

She resigned amid the probe into her work. 

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Pier 48 in San Francisco on February 07, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images for Fanatics

None of that is a disqualification for Portnoy or Barstool. 

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“An affair is not like a murder. It’s bad, but I’m not in the family. She’ll land somewhere, and you know, if people who have affairs are never allowed to work again in this country, you’re gonna lose a significant amount of the workforce,” Portnoy said.

“It is obviously really sad, but at the same time, that’s not like a capital offense that should end somebody’s professional career.”

Dave Portnoy attends the Kentucky Derby 152 at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. Getty Images for Churchill Downs

Russini has been back in the news this week after The Center Square found she embellished a story she told on a radio appearance in February about getting out of a traffic ticket by FaceTiming an NFL coach. 

The story was resurfaced in a New York Times feature about the Russini controversy.



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