NFL fans are scratching their heads after learning just how much The Athletic was paying Dianna Russini to be their top insider. The figure? A cool $800,000 per year.
That revelation came courtesy of the New York Times, which reported that Russini was earning that six-figure salary before she resigned in April. The news has sparked a firestorm of reactions across social media, with many fans questioning whether she was worth that kind of money.
Russini, who previously made a name for herself at ESPN, joined The Athletic a few years ago and quickly became their go-to source for NFL scoops. But her tenure ended abruptly after photos surfaced of her spending time at a hotel with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. The timing was particularly awkward because Vrabel is married and the photos were published by Page Six.
In her resignation letter, Russini defended her professionalism and said she stood behind every story she ever published. She also criticized the media frenzy that followed the Page Six report, calling it "unmoored from the facts." She stepped aside before her contract expired on June 30.
Now, with her salary public, fans are weighing in. Some are surprised she made that much, while others think it's par for the course for a senior reporter brought over from a major network. "A bit more than I would've guessed, but makes sense as she was a senior reporter brought over from another network….tough job to lose," one fan commented.
Another fan noted the stakes: "Dianna Russini was making nearly $1 million per year as a senior NFL insider of The Athletic. $800,000. Losing a job like that the way she did is rough."
But not everyone is sympathetic. Some fans questioned her actual impact. "Her weekly articles were just regurgitating news anyone on twitter would have seen already and just adding an opinion to it," one user wrote. "Was there any news she actually broke aside from coming from Vrabel?"
The scandal has also drawn attention to the larger dynamics at play. Some have pointed to the damage control efforts by Vrabel as being a total fumble, while others are waiting for the New York Times editors to deliver an update on their investigation.
Russini told the New York Times this week that the scandal had a "significant impact" on her both professionally and personally. Whether she'll land another high-profile NFL reporting gig remains to be seen. For now, fans are left to debate whether her $800,000 salary was money well spent.
