Is Dianna Russini Joining Barstool Sports?
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Dianna Russini appears ready to return to sports media, and Barstool Sports has come up as the leading contender for her next job.
According to Front Office Sports, Russini has already discussed several opportunities as she weighs her next move following The Athletic’s investigation into her relationship with New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. The report said Russini could return as a football insider or take on a role as an opinionist or media personality.
Russini has not made a final decision. However, reports suggest she could act soon with the NFL season approaching.
Barstool Has Strong Connections To Russini
Front Office Sports named Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Sports as the lead candidate to sign Russini. She already has close ties to some of the company’s biggest personalities.
Russini counts Dan “Big Cat” Katz and PFT Commenter among her friends. She also appeared on their podcast several times in the past.
Portnoy has publicly supported the idea of bringing Russini to Barstool. He previously called the potential hire a “no-brainer” and said an alleged affair should not end her professional career.
“That’s not like a capital offense that should end somebody’s professional career,” Portnoy said.
Russini stepped away from The Athletic after photos of her and Vrabel at a resort in Arizona raised questions about their relationship and journalistic ethics.
The Athletic’s investigation later found that Russini’s relationship with Vrabel violated company standards and required disclosure. However, the inquiry found limited evidence that she used her reporting platform to favor Vrabel or help his teams.
The report said, “Russini’s relationship with Vrabel was in clear violation of The Athletic’s standards.”
Russini declined an interview for the investigation but defended her work. “I stand by any and all reporting I’ve ever done in my career,” she said.
The investigation also reviewed hundreds of Russini’s stories, videos and podcast episodes. Investigators found that most of her reporting involving Vrabel or the Patriots focused on straightforward news.
Former colleague Mike Silver also expects Russini to return to the media world soon. He praised her work and said she could return in a different role.
“I do think she’s going to be back,” Silver said. “Probably not as an insider, at least in the short term.”
For now, Russini continues to weigh her options. But if she chooses Barstool, she could soon make one of sports media’s most talked-about returns.
