Seven months after photos of Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel prompted scrutiny and an internal review, Russini is returning to sports media. Both denied impropriety.
Russini resigned from The Athletic in April, and the outlet later concluded that her undisclosed relationship with Vrabel violated its standards, while making no determination about whether the relationship was romantic. In her comeback, Russini has announced plans to launch her new show called “The Russini Report.”
The show will be a weekly one-hour program, with new episodes premiering every Wednesday. While Russini has made her intentions to return to the NFL media landscape clear, sports media observers are debating what her return will look like and whether she will resume her traditional news-breaking role.
NFL Reporter Links Dianna Russini to Peter Schrager
NFL media personalities and industry observers are waiting to see how Russini’s return unfolds.
Over the past seven months, she has largely stayed away from the spotlight and spent time with her family. However, this week she spoke briefly with People about her future plans and the media scrutiny surrounding her departure from The Athletic.
Russini revealed that she plans to launch a one-hour show on BetUS TV. The first episode will premiere on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
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The show will mix NFL news and insider information with matchup analysis, betting data, and guest interviews.
Although she still has sources and connections across the league, Andrew Marchand believes Russini could benefit from following Peter Schrager’s approach.
“I don’t think she’ll be an insider,” the reporter said on the “Marchand Sports Media” podcast.
“I think if when she comes back, more of what Peter Schrager kind of does, I would think would be a good, better model in that he has inside information but doesn’t really break stories as much. But talks a lot, and it’s personality-driven. I think that’s what you’re probably going to see her,” he added.
Dianna Russini will likely try to use the “Schrager model” in her comeback … https://t.co/65ZfAxRfEc
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) November 10, 2026
In her interview with People, Russini also said that players, coaches, and other figures around the NFL repeatedly encouraged her to get back to work. She said the past six months had given her time to rethink her career choices, family priorities, and how she wants to approach journalism going forward.
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Russini and her husband, Kevin Goldschmidt, eventually deleted their X accounts after deciding that continuing to follow the coverage was unhealthy for their family.
All eyes are now on The Russini Report. The first episode will air Wednesday at 12:00 PM ET on the BetUS TV website and the network’s official X account.
