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Dianna Russini is officially back in the game. And while her return to sports media might be good news for her career, it’s unlikely to make everyone forget the scandal that sent her packing in the first place.
The former NFL insider announced Monday that she’s joining BetUS Casino & Sportsbook, marking her first major career move since resigning from The Athletic in April.
In a statement announcing the move, she made it clear that she’s eager to return to covering the league.
“Football has always been my favorite sport to cover, and I’ve really missed being in the middle of the action, breaking stories and connecting fans to what’s happening across the league,” she said.
She added that she’s excited to bring fans insider perspectives, uncover stories behind the biggest moments, and offer a closer look at the teams, players, and matchups shaping the NFL season.
Of course, Russini’s departure from The Athletic wasn’t exactly a routine career transition.
The veteran reporter resigned on April 14 after photographs surfaced showing her getting cozy with married New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at an adults-only resort in Arizona. The images showed the pair embracing and holding hands, prompting questions about the nature of their relationship.
Both initially insisted that nothing inappropriate had happened. However, the controversy grew after additional photographs emerged that appeared to show the two kissing at a New York City bar in 2020.
TMZ also obtained photographs of Russini and Vrabel gambling together at a Mississippi casino in 2024. The outlet subsequently reported that they had rented a private boat in Tennessee in June 2021, when Russini was pregnant with her first child.
While Russini maintained that she had done nothing wrong, the fallout proved difficult to escape.
Vrabel acknowledged having difficult conversations with his family and stepped away from the Patriots during the NFL Draft to attend counseling.
Meanwhile, The Athletic conducted an internal investigation into Russini’s relationship with the coach.
Released in September, its findings concluded that the relationship violated newsroom standards because Russini failed to disclose it, regardless of whether it was romantic.
Investigators did not find clear evidence that she used her position to give Vrabel favorable coverage.
Now, seven months after walking away from her high-profile job, Russini is ready to see whether there’s life after the controversy.
Her return should certainly give NFL fans something to talk about. Whether the league’s players, coaches, and executives are equally enthusiastic about having her back remains another question.
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