Former NFL insider Diana Rusini has been violated The athleticsThe publication’s long inquiry has ended due to her undisclosed relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
“Especially, when it comes The athletics‘Standards, Russini was irreverent,’ the report said.
The extent of the Russini-Vrabel relationship was not determined in Thursday’s official release, prompting speculation after media reports this spring. He also found little evidence of Russini or Russini’s influence The athleticsAn account of Vrabel and his cohorts.
Russini resigned The athletics Following the pictures published on Page 6 of the New York Post in April, Russini and Vrabel met in Sedona, Ariz. Show resort together. It was just the two of them in the photos, holding hands, cuddling, and in one instance sitting together in a pool. The entire episode, from the pictures being published to her resignation, took place over a week.
“We have not completed an investigation or reached any conclusions about the full relationship between Vrabel and Russini, but the public photographs are sufficient to conclude a general violation of company policy,” the report said.
Before Page Six photos, Russini, 43, was considered a star reporter during her nearly three-year tenure, according to top NFL insiders. The athletics. She joins after eight years at ESPN.
When reached for comment on the report, Russini declined to be interviewed but issued a statement saying, “I stand by any report I’ve made in my career.”
Spokesman b The athletics He declined further comment.
Mike Semel, The athleticsThe editorial director of Standards and Editorial Quality conducted a full review of Russini’s work regarding Vrabel.
In the five months since the investigation was announced, Semel wrote that 903 stories and 77 videos had been published. The athleticsA site that Russini has written or contributed to. Semel watched or listened to 204 of Russini’s “Scape City” podcasts The athletics and 25 off-stage appearances in which Russini represents the company. He also studied 75 stories. The athletics Compare events involving Vrabel and his cohorts with other publications’ coverage.
Semmel said he interviewed “about 14.” Athletics Workers who worked with Russini. According to a source in the process who was not authorized to speak publicly about the report, Russini was not asked to participate in the review of her work.
Although the full nature of the Russini-Vrabel relationship is still unknown, much of Russini’s work is attributed to B. The athletics He had no relationship with Vrabel, the report said. Of the 903 pieces, 5 percent were about Vrabel or his teams in some way. Of the 46 episodes that mentioned Vrabel or his teams, nearly one-third were about marketing activities or recruiting activities. I mean, none of them were scoops. The athletics I don’t just report the stories.
Semel did not examine Russini’s personal behavior because she was no longer an employee of the company, but he continued to examine her journalistic work.
“Russini had to explain The athletics The nature of Semel’s relationship with Vrabel allowed editors to assess the type of story she had to work on.
While the inquiry is inconclusive as to whether the Russini-Vrabel relationship was romantic, Semel Russini revealed in April that after being confronted about the photos on Page 6, she waited two days before telling her editors and managers.
The athleticsEditor-in-chief Steven Ginsberg initially supported Russini’s statement, saying there was nothing wrong with it.
Russini said in a statement when the Page Six story was published in April: “The photos do not represent a group of six people hanging out during the day.”
As more information is submitted, The athleticsOwned by the New York Times, it adjusted its position. Soon after, The athletics Russini was banned from reporting. She resigned a week after the Page Six story was published.
Regarding the initial reaction, the study said Russini “told a story to explain the photos that did not match the reality and raised trust issues.”
Although Russini’s behavior was considered substandard, the report found limited evidence that she supported Vrabel in her writing or analysis.
“Most of what Russini wrote about Vrabel or the Patriots was marketing and news,” Semel wrote. “Furthermore, I have not found a clear link to conclude that Russini used her platform to promote Vrabel or help his groups. The athleticsHe said.
Semel Russini notes that there were few moments when Vrabel wrote so beautifully that “in hindsight it was difficult or even uncomfortable.”
In a column last October, Vrabel said he returned to face his former team, the Tennessee Titans, as a “New England hero.” Semmel didn’t find Russini’s tone very different from other outlets’ coverage of The Fighting Titans and The Resurrection Patriots. Semmel also spoke about Vrabel a few times on the “Scoop City” podcast.
In the three years she spent with the platform The athletics He published three in-depth stories on Vrabel, Semel said. Russini had a byline on one, helped another reporter connect with another, and had nothing to do with a third.
In a January 2025 inside story on Vrabel’s gap year between the Titans and Patriots head coaching jobs by reporter Zach Rosenblatt, Semmel concluded that it “might not happen” without Russini’s involvement. Rosenblatt proposed the idea and asked Russini to arrange a meeting with Vrabel. Russini facilitated it, but it had nothing to do with the story, which Rosenblatt had an exclusive storyline with, Semel said.
Russini also co-authored the January 2024 analysis with Joe Rexrode. Rexrode, the inquiry said, had obtained the key information of the story. Semel said that Russini should have disclosed her relationship with Vrabel for the article, even though it was “below the medium and based on fact.”
In December 2023, in Russini’s “I Heard” column, there was an item buried in it about the reason behind Vrabel’s Titans going for a sabermetric-based two-point conversion.
In general, Semmel recommended placing an “editor’s note” on this column and three videos.
“Of the 77 videos featuring Russini, three were unique to Vrabel,” Semel wrote. Two occurred in August 2025 during a joint preseason game between the Vikings and Patriots. Their heart-to-hearts (“50 Second Questions for Vrabel’s 50th Birthday Party” and “What Makes Mike Vrabel Angry?”).
(At the same event, she had a quick tryout with Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.)
“The third was somewhat light-hearted about a training camp fight between veterans and commanders. In it, Russini discusses Vrabel’s role in breaking up the fight, and he appears somewhat heroic. In light of the New York Post photographs, I recommend adding an editor’s note to those videos.
The report added, “Russini’s work rarely relied on Vrabel as a source or subject. In interviews with reporters she worked closely with, it was clear that Russini was not just with Vrabel or the Patriots, but around the NFL.” According to the report, there was no doubt that Russini was closer to Vrabel than anyone else.
“Indeed, the drama surrounding her relationship with Vrabel undermines our audience’s confidence in her integrity,” Semel wrote.
At the conclusion, Semel recommended adding a 30-minute review with a Standard editor to any passenger newsroom staff member to clarify. The athleticsConflict of interest guidelines. Therefore, they are “more accurate” and “explain and enforce vigorously.” The athleticsSource parameters.