Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic on Tuesday, lower than per week after the star NFL reporter was sidelined amid an inner investigation into her relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
A spokesperson for The New York Times Company, which owns The Athletic, confirmed her resignation and declined additional remark in regards to the circumstances.
In a resignation letter that she shared on X, Russini mentioned she was stepping apart “not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”
Russini notably didn’t tackle the character of her relationship with Vrabel. However, she mentioned, “I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.”
On April 7, Page Six shared photos exhibiting Russini and Vrabel holding fingers, embracing and spending time in a pool collectively at a boutique resort in Sedona, Arizona.
The photos have been taken on March 28, in keeping with the publication, which famous that each adults are married.
Vrabel informed Page Six that the photos confirmed “a completely innocent interaction” and mentioned “any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
And Russini informed the publication that “the photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”
Nevertheless, the looks of a comfortable relationship set off a firestorm within the sports activities media world.
The Athletic’s prime editor, Steven Ginsberg, initially referred to as the photos “misleading” and missing “essential context.”
“These were public interactions in front of many people,” he mentioned. “Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”
But the Times additionally opened an investigation into the matter, together with a assessment of her previous protection, and benched her from reporting in the meanwhile, in keeping with an individual acquainted with the matter.
Russini, a veteran of ESPN, was a key a part of The Athletic’s effort to increase its NFL protection with high-profile insider expertise.
Ginsberg, who confronted some skepticism internally for defending Russini on the outset, defined his decision-making in a memo to staffers on Tuesday afternoon.
“When this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns, but we received a detailed explanation and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continued to review the matter,” Ginsberg wrote.
“As additional information emerged, new questions were raised that became part of our investigation,” he mentioned with out entering into specifics. “While our investigation into Dianna’s conduct was ongoing, she chose to resign.”
Ginsberg mentioned the probe into Russini’s work stays ongoing and is being spearheaded by Mike Semel, The Athletic’s editorial director for requirements and editorial high quality answerable for moral points.
For her half, Russini on Tuesday blamed “commentators in various media” for partaking in “self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”
But her resignation letter didn’t state what the info are.
“I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept,” she added, asserting that her journalistic file “speaks for itself.”