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Longtime NFL reporter Dianna Russini is stepping down from her senior position at The Athletic one week after Page Six<\/a> published bombshell photos of her canoodling with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.<\/p>\n Russini announced her resignation on Tuesday in a letter posted to X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI have decided to step aside now \u2014 before my current contract expires on June 30,\u201d she wrote. \u201cI do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.\u201d<\/p>\n The veteran reporter defended her record, citing more than 15 years in sports journalism at NBC, ESPN, and The Athletic.<\/p>\n \u201cI have built a body of work I am proud of. I have broken stories, earned the trust of sources across the league and been guided by the highest standards of professional conduct. That record speaks for itself,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n Russini said The Athletic, which is owned by The New York Times, initially stood by her account of events that took place in March at a boutique hotel in Sedona, Arizona. However, she said subsequent media coverage fueled speculation she described as \u201cunmoored from the facts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete,\u201d she added. \u201cIt continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.\u201d<\/p>\n In a memo shared with The Athletic staff, Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg confirmed Russini\u2019s resignation and said the outlet took the situation seriously from the start.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns, but we received a detailed explanation and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continued to review the matter,\u201d Ginsberg wrote. \u201cAs additional information emerged, new questions were raised that became part of our investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n