‘Women in Sports Already Didn’t Like Her’ — Reporter Reveals Dianna Russini’s Controversial Remark ‘Bothered Most People in the Industry’Saino Zachariah Wed, November 11, 2026 at 12:07 PM UTC
‘Women in Sports Already Didn’t Like Her’ — Reporter Reveals Dianna Russini’s Controversial Remark ‘Bothered Most People in the Industry’
Dianna Russini spoke with People magazine in an interview published on Monday, the first she has given since she left The Athletic in April, as she readied a weekly NFL show for BetUS, and she framed her comeback as something other women could look to.
However, OutKick reporter Bobby Burack had something to say about that remark.
What Dianna Russini Said About Her Return to Media
Burack claimed that the line in question from Russini’s interview rubbed people the wrong way. “Based on the people I heard from since yesterday, Russini’s remark about being an inspiration to other women was what bothered most people in the industry,” he said.
The interview came seven months after Page Six published photos of Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holding hands and embracing at an adults-only resort in Arizona. She resigned a week later, on April 14.
Her former employer kept reviewing her work after she left, and Mike Semel of The Athletic later laid out what that review found.
“Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards … Regardless of whether the relationship was romantic, it was a breach and should have been disclosed,” the investigation had concluded.
Nowhere in the People interview did Russini name Vrabel or say what was between them. She did describe what the fallout looked like from her side. “The lies became so out of control … This was a runaway train, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.”
The line Burack objected to was when Russini described what she wants her comeback to show. “I really hope that I can be someone other women see: you can pick yourself up, get back in there and not be afraid … Because if you just do the work … that’s all that’s going to matter. And I hope that quiets the noise.”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
How Women in Media Have Responded to Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel Scandal
Burack also questioned how Russini’s comments would be received by other women in the industry, claiming that she had not enjoyed widespread support during the controversy.
“Women in sports already didn’t like her. That comment didn’t help,” he wrote. In another part of his OutKick column, Burack argued that “not a single notable woman in sports media publicly defended Russini during the scandal.”
Two women in sports media did, actually, speak up for her on the record the week she resigned.
Michelle Beadle told Front Office Sports on April 14 that she’s “a big fan of Dianna personally and professionally … What’s depressing is the woman in this continues to be the target of misogyny and hypocrisy … I support [Dianna] in whatever she does next. She’s a damn good talent.”
Jemele Hill, who, like Russini, once worked at ESPN, told the same outlet a day later: “Dianna is good at her job. She’s a good insider. She’s somebody who has provided quality NFL coverage for a long time. But, unfortunately, being a woman in this position, it’s going to be a lot harder for her to recover than, say, if she were a man.”
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor
Not every woman in the media shared that view, though. Megyn Kelly, host of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” also weighed in on the People interview on Monday, taking particular issue with how Russini described her comeback.
She called it an “absurd, ridiculous, poisonous spin that takes zero responsibility for what she actually did.”
Russini has said she hopes her work will eventually quiet the noise surrounding her. That work now includes “The Russini Report,” a one-hour NFL show that airs every Wednesday on BetUS.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
Source: Sports
