Russini Resigns from The Athletic: Full Letter Posted on Twitter

Dianna Russini, a senior NFL reporter for The Athletic, resigned from the New York Times-owned publication on April 14, 2026. Following the announcement, Russini used the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, to publish her full resignation letter to the outlet’s executive editor.

The resignation follows an internal investigation into Russini’s conduct. The probe was initiated after the New York Post’s Page Six published photographs showing Russini with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona.

According to reports from the Associated Press, the photographs were taken prior to the NFL owners meetings, which began in Phoenix on March 29, 2026. The images depicted the reporter and the coach hugging and holding hands. Additional reports indicated the pair also spent time at the hotel’s pool and hot tub and ate breakfast together.

Corporate Communication and Internal Investigation

The Athletic’s executive editor, Steven Ginsberg, communicated the resignation to company staff via Slack, an internal messaging platform. In a message obtained by TheWrap, Ginsberg stated that Russini had submitted her resignation effective April 14, 2026.

While I can’t share the details of our investigation into Dianna’s conduct, I want to emphasize that the leadership of The Athletic has taken this matter seriously from the moment that we learned about it.

Steven Ginsberg

The internal investigation focused on the nature of the interaction between the reporter and the coach. While the New York Post reported the relationship as a point of concern, Mike Vrabel described the photographs as showing a completely innocent interaction.

Public Disclosure via Social Media

Russini chose to bypass traditional corporate channels to address the situation, posting her resignation letter directly to X on April 14, 2026. In the letter, she stated that she decided to step down before her current contract was set to expire on June 30, 2026.

In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts. 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.

Dianna Russini

Russini maintained that she has covered the NFL with professionalism throughout her career, which includes tenure at ESPN and NBC. She noted that sports reporters frequently meet with sources outside of stadium environments and stated that she stands behind every story she has published.

The reporter indicated that while The Athletic initially expressed confidence in her journalism and supported her unequivocally after the Page Six item first appeared, the subsequent media attention led to her decision to resign. She wrote that she refused to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.