New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has been in the news during the NFL offseason, and it has nothing to do with football. Earlier this year, photos of Vrabel hugging and holding hands with The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini surfaced in the New York Post. Because of the scandal, Vrabel even missed day three of the NFL draft to get counseling.
“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said at the time, according to ESPN.
Now, a new report is shedding light on Russini’s salary at The Athletic before stepping down from the publication.
Dianna Russini made around $800,000 a year at The Athletic, according to a report
On Wednesday, the New York Times released a detailed story about the Russini situation. Russini was actually a New York Times employee, since The Athletic is owned by the New York Times. It’s a doozie of a report, too.
In the story, which is around 5,000 words, the Times says that Russini was making around $800,000 per year.
“The tabloid drama stunned the Times Company. Ms. Russini was not just any reporter,” the publication stated. “The Athletic paid her an annual salary of close to $800,000, according to a former manager who had knowledge of her salary negotiation. This would have made her one of the highest-paid journalists at the Times Company.”
That figure is certainly drawing attention, since it’s a pretty healthy salary. Of course, some NFL insiders make in the millions, so one has to put it into perspective.
Aside from the Russini and Vrabel situation, the Patriots are looking strong for 2026. Maybe they can put the drama behind them and make the upcoming season about football.