Dianna Russini went from top NFL reporter to persona non grata and analysts say there's no coming back
Dianna Russini's resignation from The Athletic has triggered a wider reckoning about how NFL insiders operate and what they are actually paid to do. A New York Times report confirmed her $800,000 annual salary and revealed her contract was up for renewal when the Mike Vrabel scandal broke. Analysts like Terry Biggs and Jared Stillman have been openly sceptical about her prospects of returning to serious sports journalism, with Stillman pointing out that the entire insider model runs on credibility — the one thing Russini no longer has in abundance. The Athletic's internal investigation into her journalistic standards continues.
Dianna Russini's resignation from The Athletic has triggered a wider reckoning about how NFL insiders operate and what they are actually paid to do. A New York Times report confirmed her $800,000 annual salary and revealed her contract was up for renewal when the Mike Vrabel scandal broke. Analysts like Terry Biggs and Jared Stillman have been openly sceptical about her prospects of returning to serious sports journalism, with Stillman pointing out that the entire insider model runs on credibility — the one thing Russini no longer has in abundance. The Athletic's internal investigation into her journalistic standards continues.
