The New York Times’ sports vertical, the Athletic, is investigating senior NFL insider Dianna Russini after photos emerged this week of her hugging and holding hands with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, TheWrap has learned.
Sources familiar with the matter at the Athletic said the outlet immediately began an investigation into Russini after the New York Post’s Page Six reached out for comment regarding photos of the two spending time together at a luxury hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The two, who are both married to other people, reportedly ate breakfast together at the Ambiente, spent time at the hotel’s pool and hot tub and were pictured on the roof of a private bungalow, according to Page Six.
Sources for Russini and Vrabel, who were both in Arizona for a meeting of the NFL Competition Committee, told Page Six the two were with other people during the weekend.
The Times declined to comment.
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The investigation, which is ongoing and was first reported by Front Office Sports, represents an abrupt change from the outlet’s public defense of Russini over the photos. In Page Six’s Tuesday story, executive editor Steven Ginsberg initially said the images were “misleading and lack essential context.”
“These were public interactions in front of many people,” he told Page Six. “Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”
While his statement stemmed from an initial review of the images, the apparent conduct did raise questions for Ginsberg and Athletic leadership, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Page Six report and information gleaned from the ongoing investigation have since spurred additional concerns for the Athletic, according to the sources, and Russini will not be reporting for the outlet as it probes the issue.
Russini also said the photos “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day” and that “reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.” Photos have not emerged to support Russini’s claim. She did not respond to an immediate request for comment.
Vrabel told Page Six the photos showed “a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
Russini joined the Times-owned Athletic in 2023 after eight years at ESPN, where she worked as an NFL analyst and a “SportsCenter” anchor. She covered Vrabel’s tenure as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans in 2018.
Russini’s most recent story for the Athletic was published Tuesday.
Sports news desks find themselves at a crossroads in a quickly shifting industry. (Christopher Smith for TheWrap)