Dianna Russini, an NFL journalist for The Athletic, won’t be reporting while the sports outlet reviews her coverage after photos of her with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel were published, a source at The Athletic familiar with the matter said Friday.
“An initial review suggested the images provided lacked context, specifically the presence of a larger group of friends,” the source said. New details from the report “and information from the investigation raised additional concerns that are now being further reviewed.”
The investigation is ongoing, the source said.
The New York Post’s Page Six first reported Friday that Russini would not be reporting while a review was underway.
The New York Times and The Athletic declined to comment Friday.
Russini previously has said the photos published Tuesday by the New York Post were taken out of context, and the executive editor of The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times, initially supported her account.
The photos of the pair were taken at a hotel in Sedona, Arizona, and show them together poolside, in a hot tub and on a rooftop deck at the Ambiente luxury hotel.
Russini said after the photos were published that many sports reporters interact with sources outside sports events or work venues.
“The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day,” she said.
Vrabel denied any allegation of impropriety in a statement to Page Six.
“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” he said to the outlet. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”
Russini and Vrabel are both married to other people.
