The fallout from Dianna Russini‘s departure from The Athletic is beginning to stretch beyond her reporting and into one of the NFL‘s most closely watched processes which is awards voting.
As scrutiny around her professional conduct continues, new questions are being raised about her role as one of the Associated Press voters responsible for selecting the league’s official honors.
Russini, who resigned last week amid an internal review tied to widely circulated photos with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, has held one of the 50 AP ballots for major NFL awards since 2022.
That includes voting on MVP, Coach of the Year, and the All-Pro team. Now, with her work still under review, attention has shifted to whether those votes should also face examination.
The Associated Press has not publicly addressed whether it plans to revisit Russini‘s ballots, despite inquiries from multiple media outlets.
The lack of response has only added to growing curiosity about the integrity and transparency of the process, particularly given the high stakes tied to official league awards.
At the center of the discussion is the question of accountability. Unlike many other sports awards systems, AP ballots are not always consistently released to the public.
In 2024, voters were not informed that their selections would be made public, though the ballots were eventually disclosed. In contrast, ballots for the 2025 awards were not released at all.
That inconsistency has drawn attention in light of Russini‘s situation. Her voting record, particularly for Coach of the Year, has become a point of interest given that Vrabel won the award.
He received 302 points and 19 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald.
While there is no evidence of wrongdoing, the circumstances have prompted questions about how voters handle potential conflicts of interest, especially when professional relationships overlap with award decisions.
The process, by design, relies on voters maintaining independence and objectivity. But as one media figure noted, the issue is not just who received a first-place vote, but how the entire ballot was constructed and whether any bias, perceived or otherwise, may have influenced the outcome.
Ongoing review keeps spotlight on Russini
The Athletic confirmed that its internal investigation into Russini‘s work will continue despite her resignation. Executive editor Steven Ginsberg told staff that the outlet initially supported Russini but reassessed the situation as “additional information emerged” and “new questions were raised.”
Russini has strongly denied any wrongdoing. In her resignation letter, she wrote: “I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.”
She added that the situation had escalated into “self feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.”
The controversy began after photos surfaced showing Russini and Vrabel together at a resort in Arizona. Both denied any inappropriate relationship, with Vrabel stating: “These photos show a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”
Bigger questions for the NFL awards system
While the NFL has confirmed it will not investigate Vrabel under its personal conduct policy, the broader discussion now centers on trust in the awards process itself.
The Associated Press‘s role in determining official NFL honors means its voting system carries significant weight, not only for legacy but also for financial markets tied to award outcomes.
At present, there is no indication that Russini‘s ballots are under formal review. However, as the league moves toward the 2026 NFL Draft, the situation has introduced an unexpected layer of scrutiny around a system that typically operates without controversy.
Whether that leads to greater transparency or procedural changes remains to be seen. For now, the questions linger.
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