Dianna Russini’s friend has prediction on when she’ll be back with NFL after Mike Vrabel scandal

It’s been about four months since Dianna Russini decided to resign from The Athletic amid the Mike Vrabel scandal, but a former colleague of the NFL insider is confident that she will be making her way back to covering the league soon.

In an appearance on the Tom Tilbert show on Tuesday, Aug. 25, The Athletic columnist Mike Silver shared that not only was Russini a “really good friend of mine,” but praised her work ethic during her time at the New York Times publication.

“[I’m] really, really proud of the journalism we did together and honestly just really bummed that we don’t get to continue it because we worked really well together,” Silver said.

Russini joined The Athletic in August 2023 as a senior NFL insider. She previously worked at ESPN in 2015 as a SportsCenter anchor before she transitioned into NFL coverage as a reporter and insider.

He continued, “And I do think she’s going to be back, probably not as an insider, at least in the short term. But I think she’ll be back in this realm, probably talking about football and other things pretty soon.”

In a since-deleted post on X by Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg, Russini wrote, “I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.”

“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. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts,” Russini wrote in the letter.

Russini and Vrabel were photographed at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona back in April when it appeared they were on a romantic getaway. Additionally, photos of the two have been made public via outlets like Page Six, TMZ, and The New York Post, showing the two at a casino shortly after Vrabel was fired from the Tennessee Titans in 2024, and another where they were seemingly kissing in a New York City bar.

“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and 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.

Russini concluded her statement, writing, “Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so 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.”

Since the alleged incident, Vrabel broke his silence at the start of the 2026 NFL Draft.

“My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to,” said Vrabel on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. “My family needs me this weekend, and that’s where I’ll be.”

He has since been to marriage counseling with his wife, Jen, whom he’s been married to since 1999 and with whom he shares two sons. Russini is also married to Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt, and they also share two sons.

Vrabel is still employed with the New England Patriots and will have their first regular-season game on Sept. 9 against the Seattle Seahawks at 8:20 pm ET.

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