Dianna Russini is plotting her return to NFL coverage this season on her own terms and her own timeline.
The former Athletic journalist, 43, plans to address her relationship scandal with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, 51, only when she lands her next job, a source familiar with the situation said this week. She has rejected every outside offer to tell her story sooner, including approaches from major networks, podcasts and even reality television shows.
Russini wants to speak about the matter once and move past it permanently, the source added. She continues to evaluate offers from several outlets and may ultimately take more than one position. A debut by the start of Week 1, which begins Wednesday night with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and Vrabel’s Patriots, appears unlikely.
The source emphasized that Russini has found unexpected allies within the league itself. Most NFL owners, coaches, staffers and players have been supportive and are pulling for her return, the source maintained.
The Athletic released its internal investigation findings last week. Mike Semel, the publication’s editorial director for standards and quality, stated that Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was “in clear violation” of company standards.
“Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,” Semel said.
Semel added that he found no clear evidence Russini used her platform to promote Vrabel or benefit his teams. He did note, however, that she occasionally wrote “glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable.”
Russini responded to the findings with a brief statement: “I stand by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career.”
The scandal became public on April 7 when the outlet published photos of Russini and Vrabel holding hands, hugging and lounging by a pool at a lavish resort in Sedona, Arizona, in late March. Additional images later surfaced, including eyewitness photos from a New York City bar showing the pair kissing six years before the Arizona trip.
Both parties were married throughout the period in question. Russini wed Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020. Vrabel married his wife Jen in 1999. Each couple has two sons.
Vrabel left the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling with his wife in Utah. Asked about the investigation during media availability on Sept. 3, he said he had no reaction to the findings and claimed he’s “moved on.”
The source indicated that Russini’s comeback timing remains flexible, with the priority being finding the right platform rather than rushing to meet any particular deadline.
Vrabel’s Patriots face the Seahawks on Wednesday night to launch the NFL season.