Dianna Russini is returning to sports media with a weekly one-hour NFL betting show backed by offshore sportsbook BetUS, following her departure from The Athletic earlier this year.
Russini Debuts The Russini Report on BetUS TV
- Russini’s new program, titled The Russini Report, will stream on BetUS TV’s website and X account through the remainder of the NFL season.
- The show features game previews, matchup breakdowns, and guest interviews, alongside a weekly analysis column.
- The venture marks Russini’s return to regular media coverage seven months after her resignation from The Athletic.
Russini and Vrabel Address Investigation into Their Relationship
Seven months after an internal investigation into her connection with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel led to her stepping down from her position as the Athletic’s chief NFL insider, Russin launched her new program. According to theguardian.com, the New York Post released photographs in April showing Russini and Vrabel at a resort in Arizona, which were captured around the time of the March NFL owners meetings.
Some photos appeared to show the two embracing and holding hands. Russini and Vrabel, who are married to other people, stated that the interaction was platonic, with Russini noting the photos did not reflect a larger group gathering and Vrabel calling any suggestion of impropriety laughable, theguardian.com reported.
The New York Times-owned outlet began a review of Russini’s work after additional reporting raised questions, leading to her resignation on April 14.
The Athletic’s investigation findings, announced in September, did not find signs of bias in her coverage. However, the outlet concluded that her relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of newsroom standards, as detailed by theguardian.com.
Reflections on the Past Six Months
Russini, 43, joined The Athletic in 2023 after an eight-year stint at ESPN, according to theguardian.com. In comments to People magazine on Monday, Russini described the events of the spring as heartbreaking.
| Career Milestone | Organization / Platform | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Previous Tenure | ESPN | Eight-year stint ending in 2023 |
| Current Venture | BetUS TV / X | Weekly one-hour NFL betting show and column |
The best way to describe what the last six months were like for me is heartbreaking,
Russini said in comments reported by theguardian.com, adding that the beginning of the period felt like a nightmare. Regarding the Vrabel situation, she offered no direct commentary on the accusations concerning the coach, who faced no league-level scrutiny for his involvement.
Dianna Russini and offshore sportsbook BetUS announced the NFL reporter’s return on Monday, with a column and a new show that will launch this week.https://t.co/xn6s2Sie8F
The absolute best part of this situation has been the loyalty the NFL has shown me,
she told People, referring to support from players and coaches. She noted that her new show will include analysis on the NFL along with opinions, which she stated was something I wasn’t really allowed to do before.
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