Dianna Russini is ready to get back to work, and she’s bringing backup. The former Athletic reporter has hired veteran crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, the same strategist who has represented Johnny Depp, Logan Paul and Justin Baldoni, as she weighs her next career move.
It’s been a loud six months. Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after an internal investigation into her undisclosed relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The investigation found the relationship violated newsroom standards but did not compromise her reporting. Page Six had already published photos of the two holding hands at an Arizona resort in late March, and both Russini, 43, and Vrabel, 51, are married to other people. Vrabel stepped away from the Patriots during the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling, then returned to the sideline.
Sources close to the situation say the people personally involved have moved on. The media hasn’t, which is exactly why Russini is spending on reputation repair. She’s still repped by CAA, and interest in what she does next is reportedly strong. The bigger question is whether a great publicist can change the story, or if the story is simply the story now. What do you think, can a comeback tour actually work here?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
