Dianna Russini’s furious parting statement after leaving The Athletic implies she is a ‘guilty canoodler’, Dave Portnoy has alleged.
Russini, 43, has resigned from her job at the New York Times-owned company just days after denying claims she was having an affair with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
The NFL reporter was pictured holding hands with Vrabel and lounging poolside at an adults-only resort in Arizona. The pair, who are both married, downplayed what the images appeared to depict.
However, Russini has stepped away from her job at The Athletic while taking aim at speculation that is ‘simply unmoored from the facts.’
‘Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30,’ she wrote in a letter to Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg. ‘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.’
Russini’s statement has caused a stir on social media, with Portnoy one of many to take issue with her reasoning.
Dianna Russini (right) has resigned from The Athletic amid the storm around Mike Vrabel (left)
Dave Portnoy has claimed Russini’s parting statement implies she is a ‘guilty canoodler’
‘If we’re just being honest this explanation really makes zero sense,’ the Barstool Sports founder wrote on X. ‘I don’t think anybody should lose their job over alleged canoodling but this statement makes it seem like there was definitely canoodling happening.
‘An innocent canoodler would prob welcome a thorough investigation to prove their innocence and exonerate themselves right? This screams guilty canoodler to me.’
A number of users agreed with Portnoy’s take, including one who commented: ‘If the facts were wrong then all she had to do was prove that via friends, receipts, photos but instead she just decided to drop the mic and resign.’
‘Big time “You can’t fire me, I quit” vibes,’ said another.
Yet, one user argued: ‘She is losing her job for breaking the ethics of journalism not for canoodling.’
‘Integrity in journalism has to matter a little bit, even in today’s world,’ another agreed.
Not everyone believes Russini’s exit is justified, nevertheless. Liberal ex-ESPN host Jemele Hill has come to her defense and alleged that male reporters are not judged in the same fashion.
‘I’ll say this: While the photos raised questions, if male insiders were held to a similar standard of ethics, none of them would exist,’ Hill posted on X.
Russini and Vrabel were pictured holding hands at an adults-only resort in Arizona
Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after nearly a decade at ESPN, where she held various roles, including SportsCenter anchor, NFL analyst and insider. She hosted a podcast for The Athletic and made appearances on their video platform.
Vrabel didn’t attend the Patriots’ pre-draft press conference on Monday after hosting it in 2025.
Vice president of player personnel, Eliot Wolf, faced the media instead and without being directly asked about Russini, insisted nothing had changed with Vrabel and planning for the 2026 season.
‘Very involved, business as usual,’ Wolf said. ‘He’s been in there with us, this round of meetings, probably a little more than he was last year.’
