Dianna Russini will return to work this NFL season, but not without addressing the elephant in the room first.
A source familiar with the situation told Page Six this week that the former Athletic journalist, who resigned from her position in April amid an investigation into her relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, will share her side of the scandal upon taking her next job.
Russini, 43, hopes to speak on the matter and move past it once and for all, the source added.
The exact timeline for her comeback remains unclear, but a debut by the start of Week 1 — which kicks off Wednesday night with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and Vrabel’s Patriots — is unlikely.
The source noted that Russini continues to mull offers from several outlets, and it’s possible she accepts more than one gig.
Russini, the source continued, was inundated with interview requests from major networks, podcasts and even reality television shows as the scandal unfolded, but she rejected them all in favor of speaking on her own terms at the right time.
As for how Russini will be received within the league, the source was adamant that most NFL owners, coaches, staffers and players have been supportive and pulling for her return.
The scandal came to light after Page Six published photos on April 7 of Russini and Vrabel, 51, holding hands, hugging and lounging by a pool at a lavish resort in Sedona, Arizona, in late March.
Since then, more instances of the two hanging out surfaced — including one night at a New York City bar, where an eyewitness snapped pictures of them kissing six years before the Arizona trip.
Russini married Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020, while Vrabel tied the knot with his wife, Jen, in 1999. Both couples each have two sons.
The reporter’s former employer released the findings of its internal investigation last week, stating Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was “in clear violation” of its standards.
“Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,” Mike Semel, the editorial director for standards and quality at the Athletic, said.
Semel noted he did not find “a clear link to conclude that Russini used her platform to help promote Vrabel or help his teams during her time at the Athletic,” but said there were times Russini wrote “glowingly of Vrabel that in hindsight are awkward or even uncomfortable.”
Vrabel, who left the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling with his wife in Utah, was asked about the investigation during media availability on Sept. 3, saying he did not have a reaction to the findings and claiming he’s “moved on.”
As for Russini, she released a brief statement following the investigation, saying, “I stand by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career.”
Page Six reached out to Russini and her agent for comment.
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