Sports journalist calls on Mike Vrabel to ‘answer’ for Dianna Russini photos: ‘Double standard’

A sports newsman called retired nan patriarchy after Dianna Russini resigned from nan Athletic conscionable days aft photos captured her and NFL coach Mike Vrabel holding hands astatine a hotel.

Jemele Hill — a contributing journalist to nan Atlantic and a erstwhile workfellow of Russini’s — exclusively said pinch Page Six astir nan headline-making sports scandal.

“[Dianna] has been nan attraction of each of nan conversations, and I deliberation there’s immoderate morganatic questions that Mike Vrabel has to reply to that don’t person thing to do pinch his marriage,” Hill argued.

“But it speaks to his credibility arsenic a shot coach and being successful a position of leadership.”

The NFL insider pointed retired that shot players are often urged to steer clear of immoderate “distractions.”

“Coaches are perpetually lecturing players astir really they can’t fto their individual lives go squad issues or, you know, create different speech extracurricular of football,” Hill explained, alleging, “And that’s precisely what he did.”

Hill believes Russini is being held to a higher modular owed to her gender.

“There are a number of really cardinal rules that I person seen antheral reporters break, and, you know, they didn’t suffer their full careers down it,” she said. “And they besides didn’t person to interest astir their full gender being stigmatized complete that journalistic lapse successful judgment.”

Earlier this week, Hill wrote connected X, “I don’t disagree that’s nan issue. But it’s absorbing to maine really Dianna is base each nan consequences and I besides cognize that truthful galore men successful nan business are wholly compromised by cozy relationships.”

She expanded further connected her message, telling Page Six that she was “calling attraction to that double standard.”

“Based disconnected nan reaction, you would person thought Diana Russini was successful this photograph by herself,” she said, referring to our exclusive images. “You know, each nan memes, each nan jokes, she has been nan attraction of each of nan conversations.”

Hill besides told america that she’s utilized to proceeding rumors astir really women journalists get information.

“If I had a dollar for each clip I perceive astir … sports reporters sleeping pinch a root aliases a subordinate aliases coach aliases personification successful nan business, I wouldn’t beryllium talking to you. I’d beryllium connected a formation successful Fiji correct now,” she joked, adding, “It’s nan laziest rumor you tin perchance perceive astir people.”

While Hill admitted that she doesn’t personally cognize nan specifications of Russini and Vrabel’s move disconnected nan field, she noted that if they did person a “cozy” relationship, it would beryllium “considered to beryllium 1 of nan cardinal rules of publicity you do not break.”

However, Hill doesn’t judge Russini’s resignation was successful immoderate measurement an “admission of guilt.”

“She astir apt realized that her expertise to beryllium a newsman and screen this leak had been wholly compromised,” she explained. “You know, it’s an early rule we each learned successful publicity is that you ne'er want to beryllium nan story.”

Hill and Russini antecedently worked together astatine ESPN. They knew each different “socially” and had gone retired for meal and drinks “a fewer times.”

“We conscionable benignant of struck up a rapport and and had a bully relationship,” nan sports newsman told us.  

Hill said retired aft Page Six published exclusive photos earlier this period of Russini and Vrabel holding hands and spending nan time together at nan luxury Ambiente edifice successful Sedona, Arizona.

A root told america astatine nan clip that Russini and Vrabel — who are some joined to different group — had meal connected nan patio of nan edifice edifice astir 10:30 a.m. connected Saturday, March 28, earlier spending a leisurely hr by nan pool.

The sportscaster and nan New England Patriots coach some claimed that they were location pinch different friends, contempt them appearing solo successful nan images. However, 3 different eyewitnesses told Page Six that they didn’t spot anyone other pinch Vrabel and Russini astatine nan hotel.

Earlier this week, Russini resigned from her domiciled astatine nan Athletic successful a missive to Executive Editor Steven Ginsberg and obtained by Page Six.

“I person covered nan NFL pinch professionalism and dedication passim my career, and I guidelines down each communicative I person ever published,” nan missive read. “When nan Page Six point first appeared, The Athletic supported maine unequivocally, expressed assurance successful my activity and pridefulness successful my journalism. For that I americium grateful.”

She claimed that nan “media frenzy” astir nan photos was “hurtling forward” without respect for nan reappraisal process.

“It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I person nary liking successful submitting to a nationalist enquiry that has already caused acold much harm than I americium consenting to accept,” her connection continued.

“Rather than allowing this to continue, I person decided to measurement speech now — earlier my existent statement expires connected June 30. I do truthful not because I judge nan communicative that has been constructed astir this episode, but because I garbage to lend it further oxygen aliases to fto it specify maine aliases my career.”