The Athletic’s Dianna Russini has been placed on leave by the website’s parent company, The New York Times, after photos of the NFL insider holding hands with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel surfaced this week.
As told to the Daily Mail by a source familiar with The Athletic, the website began an investigation into the situation after learning of the photos, which surfaced Tuesday. Russini is not expected to publish any articles as the investigation remains ongoing, according to the source.
Meanwhile, Russini’s podcast, Scoop City, has quietly stopped dropping episodes. In a statement to AwfulAnnouncing.com, a spokesman for The Athletic said the show ‘has been in transition since the Super Bowl.’
On Tuesday, Page Six published exclusive photos showing the 50-year-old coach and 43-year-old NFL insider hugging, lounging poolside and laughing together at the $2,500-per night getaway in Sedona, Arizona. Vrabel, the reigning NFL Coach of the Year, and Russini, a top reporter for The Athletic, are married to other people with whom they share two sons.
The two have known each other for years. Russini previously covered Vrabel when he was coaching in Tennessee and she was serving as ESPN’s Titans beat reporter.
They have each issued statements confirming the March 28 interaction in Sedona, Arizona, but have denied any improper conduct.
The drama involving New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and NFL insider Dianna Russini has deepened after an unfounded cheating allegation from 2015 resurfaced
The two visited a hotel, Ambiente, which is an adults-only venue near Sedona, Arizona
‘The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,’ Russini told FOS through The Athletic. ‘Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.’
Interestingly, The Athletic issued its own denial after the publication, calling the photos ‘misleading’ and lacking ‘essential context,’ while defending Russini’s professionalism.
In his statement to the Post, Vrabel called the story ‘laughable.’
Spokespeople for the Times and The Athletic declined to comment to the Daily Mail for this story.
