Following the controversy around spotting New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the former opted out of appearing at the pre-draft press conference. The latest reports now claim that Russini has resigned from her position at The Athletic “effective immediately.”

On Tuesday, she sent a resignation letter to The Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg, which was later obtained by The Associated Press.

“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” wrote Dianna Russini in her resignation letter.

“When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful.”

Russini’s career in sports journalism spans over 15 years. She worked for NBC and ESPN before joining The Athletic in 2023. She has hosted podcasts for The Athletic and broken various important stories. Her contract was about to expire on June 30, but she chose to step aside now and “refuse to lend it (the narrative around her) further oxygen.”

On March 28, Vrabel and Russini were spotted at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona. Both of them were lying on separate patios by the pool and having breakfast. The report of the sighting emerged around the second week of April. Following that, The Athletic also announced an investigation into the situation and said the reporter won’t be reporting until the investigation ends. But it did not come to that. Russini mentioned in her letter that several media outlets have reported different takes on the situation despite her claiming there were six other people.

“In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts,” Russini said in a letter sent Tuesday to Athletic Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg.

Despite giving a resignation, Russini has had a glorious career. Since the first time she took the mic, she has been nothing but excellent.

Dianna Russini’s career can make any sports journalist envious

Dianna Russini was born and brought up in New York City. She attended George Mason University, where she played soccer, scoring seven goals and one assist in 51 appearances. In 2005, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication. After that, WNBC in New York City hired her as a reporter. It made her the youngest reporter in WNBC’s history at that time.

Being an athlete, she could not stay away from sports for long. She moved to Seattle to work as an anchor and reporter for Comcast SportsNet Northwest to cover sports. By that time, she had already worked for News 12 Westchester and NBC stations WRC-TV, WNBC, and WVIT. Having gained experience as a sports reporter, Russini joined ESPN in 2015. Thanks to Disney executives watching a sportscast of her in Washington, D.C., she ended up having the job.

At ESPN, she worked as a SportsCenter anchor, NFL analyst, and insider. She was also a sideline reporter for ESPN’s XFL Saturday afternoon games, alongside Tom Luginbill. After working for ESPN for almost eight years, The Athletic came knocking on her door, and she immediately accepted. Sportsradio 94WIP named her the 2026 Philadelphia Eagles Insider of the Year, and she accepted the award last month.