Dianna Russini, an ex-NFL reporter for The Athletic, earned nearly $800,000 annually and faced backlash for her behavior during a traffic stop before the scandal involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel.
Dianna Russini, a former NFL reporter for The Athletic, earned an annual salary of nearly $800,000, making her one of the highest-paid journalists at The New York Times Company, according to an exposé published by The New York Times on Wednesday. Her contract was set to expire in June, but she resigned in April, stating she did not want to further fuel speculation regarding her alleged relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, nor let it overshadow her career.
The media spotlight on Russini intensified in April when photos surfaced depicting her and Vrabel in a seemingly intimate manner at a resort in Sedona, Arizona. This was followed by the emergence of leaked images showing them kissing at a bar in New York City in 2020, and spending time together at a casino in Mississippi in 2024. Additionally, reports indicated that the couple rented a boat together in 2021 while Russini was reportedly pregnant with her first child.
Despite the swirling rumors, both Russini and Vrabel, who are married with children, have not confirmed any romantic involvement. Vrabel acknowledged having 'difficult conversations' with his family and mentioned that he sought therapy, which led him to miss a day of the NFL Draft.
Prior to the scandal involving her relationship with Vrabel, Russini had attracted attention for an incident during a traffic stop, where she claimed to have avoided a ticket by contacting the officer's favorite NFL coach. She described this event on a podcast, revealing that she was pulled over for texting while driving with her two sons, marking her second traffic stop within a month.
The officer dismissed her excuse that she was attempting to report on the Buffalo Bills. According to the Times, she then FaceTimed the officer’s favorite coach—who was not Vrabel—and allowed them to converse. The coach reportedly told the officer, 'You should let her go, she’s a good citizen.'
This incident raised eyebrows within The Athletic and The New York Times, with a company spokeswoman, Danielle Rhoades Ha, labeling her actions as 'unacceptable conduct.' She noted that Russini had not sought permission to appear on the podcast, which was against company guidelines, further compounding the issue.
