Dianna Russini gets out the word that she's coming back to work next week

As the NFL season reaches its midpoint, Dianna Russini is reportedly preparing to rejoin the world of sports media next week. Sources close to the situation reveal that she has started reaching out to league insiders about her return. However, the specifics of where and what she will be doing remain unclear.

Russini's departure from The Athletic in April raised eyebrows after photographs surfaced in the New York Post showing her with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort. In her resignation letter and subsequent interviews, Russini vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The Athletic conducted an internal review, which concluded that her relationship with Vrabel breached the publication's standards.

Mike Semel, who led the investigation, stated unequivocally that such a relationship was unacceptable, regardless of its nature.

The scandal took a further turn when Russini's handling of the situation came under scrutiny. Initially, she waited two days before notifying her editors and managers about the photos, then provided a version of events that did not match the facts. This pattern of behavior raised serious questions about her credibility. To make matters more bizarre, she chose to go public with a tale of being pulled over for texting while driving, embellishing the story by claiming she had even FaceTimed a head coach for assistance.

Given the unique circumstances surrounding her dismissal, Russini's return to the media landscape will be crucial for regaining the trust of her audience.