Rusty Weiss
Former NFL insider Dianna Russini may already have found a soft landing after her dramatic exit from The Athletic — and it’s coming from one of the most outspoken names in sports media.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy revealed this week that he would hire Russini “in a heartbeat” if she wanted to join the company. In fact, he called it a “no-brainer.”
Speaking to Us Weekly while promoting his new memoir “Cancel Me If You Can,” Portnoy downplayed the controversy that led to Russini’s resignation in April.
“An affair is not like a murder. It’s bad, but I’m not in the family,” he said, before pointing out the obvious. “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 believes it might as well be with Barstool.
Russini and Vrabel Scandal: What Led to Her Exit
Russini stepped down from her high-profile role at The Athletic following Page Six’s publication of photos showing her with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort. An adults-only resort.
Additional images later surfaced showing the pair kissing at a New York City bar in 2020 and spending time together on other occasions, dating back several years. Earlier, video footage emerged showing the Patriots head coach and the former league insider on a private boat trip in Tennessee in 2021, when Russini was visibly pregnant with her first child.
Both denied any ongoing affair at the time, but the story quickly escalated. The Athletic launched an internal review, and Russini resigned amid the investigation. She has stayed largely silent since, even as the controversy continues to swirl unabated.
Portnoy’s comments mark the latest high-profile show of support for the veteran reporter. Earlier, former Dan Le Batard Show personality Jon “Stugotz” Weiner also extended a standing offer to bring her onto his podcast. The Barstool founder’s willingness to look past the scandal isn’t surprising given his own history with controversy and public cancellations.
Russini, once one of the most prominent NFL voices in the industry, earned a reputation as a top insider known for breaking news and hosting her “Scoop City” podcast. Her sudden departure left many wondering whether she could rebound in a traditional media role, especially as fresh details — including questions about a past traffic stop story — continued to surface this week.
Whether Russini will actually take Portnoy up on the offer remains to be seen. She has not publicly commented on her future plans.
