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Photos emerged showing New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel with The Athletic/New York Times NFL reporter Dianna Russini at a resort in Arizona earlier this week, and now that reporter is the subject of an internal investigation.
Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg initially gave a statement to the New York Post’s Page Six on April 7, calling the photos “misleading.”
“These photographs are misleading and lack essential context,” Ginsberg initially said. “These were public interactions in front of a lot of people. Dianna is a top journalist covering the NFL and we are proud to have her at The Athletic.”
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Cars and taxis drive past the New York Times sign above the entrance to the newspaper’s corporate headquarters in Times Square in New York City on January 27, 2023. (Yuriy T/iStock)
Now, The Athletic sources familiar with the controversy told Pak Gazette Digital that Russini is being investigated, although they stand by Ginsberg’s initial statement.
Sources responded to Pak Gazette Digital after Page Six and Front Office Sports reported on the internal investigation into Russini.
“After Page Six contacted Dianna for comment on Tuesday, The Athletic immediately began an investigation. While the behavior apparent in the photos raised questions for Steven and The Athletic’s leadership, an initial review suggested the images provided lacked context, specifically the presence of a larger group of friends,” a source said.
“New details from the Page Six report and information from the investigation raised additional concerns that are now being reviewed further. The investigation is ongoing.”
The source added that Russini’s coverage is being reviewed, which is expected to take time, and that he will not report for the outlet in the meantime.
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel celebrates after the AFC championship game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on January 25, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
The New York Times declined to comment.
the photos, originally published from Page Six, shows the coach and the journalist holding hands and hugging on the roof of a resort bungalow in Sedona, Arizona.
Vrabel addressed the photos, telling Page Six: “These photos show a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is ridiculous. This deserves no further response.”
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New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on the sideline in the first half of an NFL wild card playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Jan. 11, 2026. (Charles Krupa/AP)
Russini told the outlet: “The photos do not represent the group of six people who were together during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources outside of stadiums and other locations.”
The photographs and subsequent responses this week became the subject of an immense national debate in the world of sports.
