Dianna Russini’s career as a journalist is likely over, as she referred to herself as a “former journalist” in a recent New York Times piece about the scandal involving her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. But that doesn’t mean that she can’t stay in the sports media, albeit in a different role.
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Even if it seems she won’t be a sports journalist again, Russini still brings a huge audience and will surely have people waiting to hear from her after the story broke. She has a famous name and held an important role, so not every opportunity to work in the media is gone.
A recent article written by Michael Grant, and published at Awful Announcing, discusses her next steps after resigning from The Athletic. Grant believes that, in a few months, she could return to face the cameras and work as a sports personality, without being held to the same journalistic standards as she was previously.
As he lists her options and discusses a few places that could hire her, Grant points to two topics that, ultimately, will shape whether Russini can return to the media or not:
“Ultimately, Russini’s comeback on this format will hinge on two things. First, can she regain the trust of NFL players and coaches and get them to speak with her? Second, can she attract an audience to tune in? Both are difficult to assess at this point.”
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The switch wouldn’t be a first, especially in an ever-changing media landscape. Russini, after all, was one of the most respected reporters around the league. She’s likely to return to work at some point, and, as improbable as it may seem, the sports media could remain her home, as noted by Grant:
“Making the switch from a sports reporter to a sports personality isn’t that drastic,” Grant wrote. “Certainly not now. Just look at ESPN’s daily lineup of talking heads. Some are still reporters, but you’ll hear a lot from people just giving hot takes. The major impediment for Russini here is the scandal she’ll have to address.”
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As the public moves on from the scandal and with training camp approaching, different NFL stories will emerge daily, and unless Russini signs with a network or speaks out publicly about the story, she’ll fade away from the public eye in the next few months.
Vrabel, the other part of the scandal, is preparing for training camp with the Patriots, starting late in July. New England will look to defend their AFC title, but this time, they’ll also try to change the Super Bowl result.
