Dianna Russini posts her full resignation letter on Twitter

Since the publication of the Associated Press article regarding Dianna Russini’s resignation from The Athletic, she has posted her full resignation letter on Twitter.

Here is the full text of her letter to Steve Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic:

"Pleasé accept this letter as my resignation from The Athletic, effective immediately. I have come to this decision with deep sadness but with clarity about what is right for me, my family, and the work I have spent my career building.

"You and I have already publicly addressed the recent attacks against me, and I have nothing to add publicly to what we have said. I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.

"When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful.

"In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts. Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks, and I have no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.

"Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.

"Over a career spanning more than fifteen years in sports journalism — at NBC, ESPN, and The Athletic — I have built a body of work I am proud of. I have broken stories, earned the trust of sources across the league, and been guided by the highest standards of professional conduct. That record speaks for itself.

"I remain grateful to The Athletic and for the extraordinary colleagues with whom I have worked there, for the platform it provided, and for the support you showed me during this difficult time. I wish you nothing but continued success."

Responses to the letter on Twitter have been restricted, which is a sensible move. An innocuous trial-balloon tweet last week regarding the ongoing talks between the NFL and the NFL Referees Association was overrun by the predictable sort of toxicity that characterizes social media.

The letter itself seems to have been written by a lawyer. The giveaway is the designation at the top of the means of deliver: "Via Electronic Mail." Lawyers almost always start their correspondence that way; non-lawyers rarely if ever do.

If it was written by a lawyer, it could be part of an effort to get The Athletic to stop its investigation before reaching a conclusion. If, in the end, The Athletic were to decide that the photographs of Russini with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel fall short of editorial guidelines that "require that their journalists avoid any activities that pose a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict, so as not to call into question their credibility” and/or that her denial of anything inappropriate was not entirely accurate, that would have made a bad situation even worse.

As it stands, the resignation arguably makes the investigation moot. Whether The Athletic comes to that specific conclusion remains to be seen. Other reporters at The Athletic and its parent company, The New York Times, may be jostling for a final, public statement to be made about the situation, in the interests of the publications' credibility and integrity moving forward.