Former NFL insider Dianna Russini is facing fresh heat after recently released bodycam video contradicted a story she told on a radio show and further called into question her credibility. With the Mike Vrabel scandal still unfolding and The Athletic investigation is ongoing, there are major questions about her career and where she goes from here.
However, Barstool Sports’ founder Dave Portnoy is unfazed by the scandal and open to hiring her.
Dave Portnoy Calls Hiring Dianna Russini a ‘No-Brainer’
Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after leaked photos and videos of her and Vrabel prompted allegations of an affair. Since then, many have speculated about her future career options, and Portnoy made it clear he wouldn’t mind giving her a spot at Barstool Sports.
While promoting his memoir, “Cancel Me If You Can,” Portnoy addressed the scandal with his signature bluntness. When asked if he would hire Russini, he told “Us Weekly,” “No-brainer, if she wanted to work here, we’d do it.”
While he acknowledged that the public optics of a top NFL insider allegedly being involved with a prominent NFL head coach are “bad,” he drew a sharp line between a personal indiscretion and a career-ending offense.
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“She’ll land somewhere, and you know, if people who have affairs are never allowed to work again in this country, you’re gonna lose a significant amount of the workforce,” Portnoy argued.
“It is obviously really sad, but at the same time, that’s not like a capital offense that should end somebody’s professional career. An affair is not like a murder.”
This stands in stark contrast to the rigid ethical standards governing traditional newsrooms, including The New York Times (which owns The Athletic). Russini’s credibility took an even greater hit after police bodycam footage showed that her story about FaceTiming a head coach to get out of a ticket didn’t happen as described.
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She talked her way out of the ticket by name-dropping league figures and showing the officer texts with Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, ultimately receiving only a verbal warning. As a result, many see her future through a far more cynical lens.
With that said, many people have predicted that Russini could eventually land at Barstool Sports. When PFN asked our staff whether Russini would work as an NFL insider again, PFN analyst Terry Biggs bluntly wrote: “Russini will find a home at Barstool or Dan Le Batard’s show. She will conduct a teary interview. However, her reputation inside the league is shot. She may become an NFL commentator, but this scandal is now her entire legacy.”
For now, Russini remains a free agent in the media world. It’s unclear if she even wants to continue working in sports media, as she recently referred to herself as a “former journalist” in leaked text messages with reporters from The New York Times.
