Dianna Russini earned $800,000 at The Athletic before resigning over Mike Vrabel scandal

Dianna Russini, the senior NFL insider for The Athletic, was paid an annual salary of about $800,000, making her one of the highest‑paid journalists at the New York Times‑owned Times Company. The figure was disclosed in a New York Times investigation that also detailed her resignation in April 2026 after a scandal erupted over photos of her and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel together at a luxury resort in Sedona, Arizona.

The Times report added that, months before the photos were published, Russini used a FaceTime call with an unnamed NFL head coach to persuade a police officer to dismiss a traffic ticket she received while texting while driving. The outlet described the incident as “unacceptable conduct,” and the Athletic’s editors had not approved her appearance on the “Stugotz and Company” podcast where she recounted the story. The scandal led to her departure; Vrabel remained Patriots coach and later announced he would attend counseling during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Russini’s contract was set to expire at the end of June 2026, and she had been in renewal negotiations when the investigation began. The report quoted a former manager who confirmed the salary figure and noted that Russini had been promoted as the public face of the sports publication, which the Times bought in 2022 for $550 million.