Dianna Russini
ESPN’s Dianna Russini photographed for (201) Magazine at Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, NJ on Aug. 24, 2020.
Dianna Russini is set to make her return to sports media on Wednesday with the debut of her new weekly show. But one veteran sportscaster thinks the former NFL insider needs to address the elephant in the room if she wants anyone to tune in.
Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn said that Russini needs to “come clean” about her scandal with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Cohn argued that talking openly about her mistakes is the only way Russini can win back her credibility and keep viewers coming back.
Russini’s Return
Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after photos surfaced of her and Vrabel at a resort in Arizona. Both denied anything more than a professional relationship, but an internal investigation later found that the relationship was in “clear violation” of the outlet’s standards.
The Russini Report debuts on Wednesday on BetUS, an offshore sportsbook, a move that has drawn plenty of criticism. Bill Parcells and Damon Amendolara will be her first guests.
Ahead of the debut, Russini opened up to People about the scandal, saying that “the lies became so out of control.” She also said that players, coaches, and executives had checked in on her, including one unnamed player who texted her at 5 a.m. to encourage her.
‘She needs to come clean’
Ahead of Russini’s return to the sports media space, Cohn questioned who would watch the show if Russini doesn’t address the scandal.
“She needs to come clean if she wants a shot at regaining trust,” Cohn wrote in a post on X.
Cohn expanded on that on The Linda Cohn Show, saying that Russini’s credibility is the biggest thing standing in her way.
“There were a lot of people who didn’t even know who Dianna Russini was before that scandal with Mike Vrabel. Now that she has gotten the curiosity seekers involved, people now know who she is for all the wrong reasons,” Cohn said. “How is she going to keep them after the first show? Because they are going to want to hear her talk about what her spring was when those pictures came out last April and what did she learn from that.”
Cohn said that Russini would be smart to own her mistakes publicly.
“If she is smart, she doesn’t want my advice, but if she is smart, she would share the human side of her, that people make mistakes, that she made a big one, and that she’d admit the wrongdoing,” Cohn said.
“I think she should talk about this with the public, and I think it could humanize her because everybody makes mistakes. Maybe they don’t make that kind of mistake, but people make mistakes,” she continued.
Cohn also raised an eyebrow at Russini’s story about the player texting her at 5 a.m.
“My first thought was, how does her husband feel about that? A player texting her at 5 in the morning regularly,” Cohn said. “I mean, that’s kind of strange, especially after what she went through with Vrabel.”
We’ll find out on Wednesday whether Russini takes that advice.