Dianna Russini isn’t done yet. The NFL insider, who resigned from The Athletic in April 2026 after an internal review found her undisclosed relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel violated newsroom standards, has hired crisis publicist Melissa Nathan to help engineer her return to the league. Nathan’s resume is stacked with headline-making clients, including Johnny Depp, Logan Paul, and Justin Baldoni.
The scandal erupted in late March when Page Six published photos of Russini and Vrabel holding hands at an Arizona resort. Vrabel, who is married, publicly apologized, left the Patriots during the 2026 NFL Draft to seek counseling, and has largely returned to business as usual. Russini, meanwhile, has stayed quiet, and sources say some Patriots fans are still pointing fingers at her for the team’s slow start.
Nearly five weeks into the season, Russini, 43, remains unsigned, though she’s reportedly weighing multiple offers. Whether the public is ready to move on is the real question, and with a PR veteran like Nathan in her corner, she’s clearly betting the answer is yes. Do you think sports media stars can fully bounce back from a scandal like this?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
