All articles tagged with #the athletic
The Athletic’s NFL staff preview every team for 2026 by naming a breakout candidate for each franchise, highlighting a mix of rising young players and under‑the‑radar newcomers who could lift their teams’ offenses or defenses and potentially reshape playoff ceilings in the upcoming season.
New York Times reporting on Dianna Russini's Sedona photos shows she waited two days to inform her editors; internal responses at The Athletic and the Times reveal tensions over how the photos were obtained, initial support based on partial images, and later questions raised when all images were published, highlighting ongoing debates about editorial standards in sports journalism.
Dianna Russini reportedly knew about photos of her with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and waited two days to tell her bosses after the New York Post contacted her on Easter Sunday; the New York Times and The Athletic opened investigations into her reporting, she resigned a week after the initial leak, and subsequent reporting noted that the photos lacked context and highlighted her prior journalistic status and salary.
The New York Times’ lengthy report on Dianna Russini adds new comments from her amid the controversy surrounding the Sedona photos with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and her resignation from The Athletic. Russini says she faced intense scrutiny and personal attacks that have affected her life, describes herself as a 'former journalist,' and asked that her May text-message remarks not be quoted off the record; the Times notes her objections to quoting the texts and that she emailed Athletic’s publisher and Times editors to avoid inclusion. The piece also previews an Athletic internal investigation and possible legal action.
The New York Times profile on Dianna Russini recounts her move from ESPN to The Athletic, noting The Athletic paid near $800,000 annually and was negotiating a renewal when a story about her relationship with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel emerged; The Athletic is conducting an internal investigation amid tensions within The Times Company, with a final report expected soon.
Chase Daniel spoke about the Dianna Russini–Mike Vrabel scandal on The Jim Rome Show, saying it’s their business and not commenting further, noting he hasn’t spoken with Russini since the headlines. The story has spurred Russini’s resignation from The Athletic amid an internal investigation and indicates Scoop City is in transition as Daniel plots a new project for the fall.
After the Draft Lottery reshaped the order, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie updates his post-lottery mock with AJ Dybantsa going No. 1 to the Wizards and Darryn Peterson No. 2 to the Jazz, followed by Cameron Boozer to the Grizzlies, Caleb Wilson to the Bulls, Keaton Wagler to the Clippers (via IND) and Darius Acuff Jr. to the Nets, among others. The piece also notes the lottery’s key shifts (Jazz’s leap to No. 2, Pacers losing a pick to the Clippers) and provides scouting context on each prospect’s strengths, shortcomings, and fit, along with considerations like injuries and pre-draft evaluations.
The Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg told staff in an all-hands meeting that the outlet’s handling of the Dianna Russini–Mike Vrabel affair could have been clearer and that the ongoing investigation led by editorial standards chief Mike Semel will be lengthy. Russini resigned on April 14 after photos surfaced of her with Patriots coach Vrabel at a resort; Vrabel characterized the matter as personal and private and said he has had constructive conversations with people he cares about. The Athletic declined to comment further.
The Athletic released live, pick-by-pick grades for rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, giving Carson Beck an A- for his selection by Arizona (where he’ll compete with Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II). The Jets and Lions earned A grades for their picks in these rounds. The grading considers pick value, trade costs and board context, noting that these are immediate assessments that will evolve as players prove themselves in the NFL.
LIV Golf reportedly placed a security alert on The Athletic’s Brody Miller while he was covering its event in Mexico City, with a guard showing him a company chat containing his headshot and telling him to come with him. LIV executives denied knowledge of the alert when asked. The incident comes after Miller reported that LIV leadership might be ousted and funding could be pulled by the Saudi PIF, highlighting a tense, contested relationship between LIV Golf, reporters, and its backers.
NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic after photos showing her with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel circulated and prompted an internal review. The NYT-owned outlet said the investigation into her conduct was ongoing, but Russini chose to step aside before her contract ends. Vrabel publicly downplayed the photos as an innocent interaction, and both parties denied any improper conduct while The Athletic continued its review.
Dianna Russini resigns from The Athletic amid photos with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, and her future in sports media is unclear as insiders weigh potential moves to ESPN/Fox/NFL Network or an independent path, while commentators note gender dynamics and ongoing scrutiny surrounding her career.
NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic after photos of her with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel sparked an internal investigation; she says she will not participate in a public inquiry and stands by her reporting, while The Athletic continues reviewing her work.
Dane Brugler released a full 7-round mock for the Green Bay Packers, projecting eight picks (52: Dani Dennis-Sutton; 84: Davison Igbinosun; 120: Febechi Nwaiwu; 153: Tim Keenan; 160: Dametrious Crownover; 201: Kaelon Black; 236: Jaden Dugger; 255: Michael Heldman) intended to fit Green Bay’s needs for edge, corner, interior line, and athletic upside, including several players who recently visited Green Bay as part of the team’s draft philosophy.
NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic after viral photos of her with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort, with both denying impropriety. The Athletic said it would investigate as coverage spread, and Russini said she stepped aside to avoid a public frenzy and let her career not be defined by the episode. She posted her resignation letter on X, noting her contract runs through June 30.