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Dianna Russini's actions have raised concerns about the credibility of women in sports journalism, as her interactions with NFL coach Mike Vrabel have sparked speculation about the motives behind female reporters' relationships with athletes. Regardless of the investigation's outcome, the damage to women's professional reputations in sports is significant.
No matter what The Athleticâs investigation of NFL reporter Dianna Russini finds, the damage is already done.
Russini has given new fire to the infuriating trope that women in sports are only here to hook up with athletes. Even if they turn out to be innocent, the photos of Russini and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel hugging and socializing at a resort in Arizona cast a cloud of suspicion on the interactions every woman reporter or broadcaster has with athletes, coaches and front-office personnel.
Are we being friendly because weâre cultivating a professional relationship or do we have other, more salacious motives? Are we asking for a phone number or email because building sources is part of our job or because we want to hit you up on the side?
Itâs not fair, but itâs the reality: Russini made it harder for every single woman in sports, regardless of what we cover, to do our jobs. By risking her own credibility, sheâs put ours in jeopardy, too.
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) is interviewed by Dianna Russini after the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Vrabel and Russini have both denied any wrongdoing, and Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said April 13 that it's been "business as usual" for the coach. Russini is on leave, however, pending an internal investigation at The Athletic.
That's not surprising, given it's problematic for any journalist to be too friendly with someone you're covering. It is particularly problematic when women have fought for decades to be seen and respected like their male colleagues.
The environment for women in sports media is far different than it was in 1978, when a federal court ordered Major League Baseball to open its clubhouses to Melissa Ludtke, then a reporter for Sports Illustrated. There are now women covering every sport, at every level, and itâs a rarity to go to a game or event and find youâre the only woman there.
Women are sports editors and columnists at the largest, and smallest, publications. Maria Taylor and Rebecca Lowe have two of the most high-profile jobs at any of the sports networks. Candace Parker calls NBA and NCAA menâs basketball games.
And the occasional Cam Newton aside, women reporters are rarely subjected to the outright hostility and condescension that was once common in our workplaces. (Our emails and social media accounts remain a different story.)
That does not mean we are on equal footing, however.
We are still asked, the suspicion sometimes obvious, why we got into sports journalism. The answer is simple: For the same reasons our male colleagues did.
We love sports. We played them. We grew up going to and watching games with our fathers or mothers or grandparents. Even if we werenât getting paid to do so, weâd be watching games and talking about sports.
But we also are keenly aware that sexist assumptions and double standards linger in every male-dominated industry, and most of us go out of our way to avoid doing anything that could fuel them.
Every woman in sports journalism I know has had conversations about how to build relationships with the people we cover in a way that makes it abundantly clear we have no interest in anything else. How do you ask for a phone number? Can you get drinks alone with a coach or GM if itâs in a public place, or does it have to be with a group of reporters? How can you have repeated conversations with the same athlete without it raising eyebrows? If an athlete (or coach or front-office person) is pushing boundaries, whatâs the best exit strategy without burning bridges?
These are not questions our male colleagues have to ask, mind you. Just as I doubt most men in sports give themselves the once-over before leaving for a game or an event to make sure what weâre wearing doesnât send the wrong message or match the colors of a team weâre covering.
âI think a lot of times, my female colleagues get questioned in ways when theyâre seen, with these guys, out, in ways that I do not get questioned. And I think a lot of that is totally unfair,â Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, another NFL insider, said Friday during a segment on Toucher & Hardy in Boston.
âAnd if this is what it looks like, then this is really bad for all the women who are doing it on the level.â
Yes. It is.
These are not the 1970s. Or even the 1990s. Women in sports media have fought too hard and for too long to be treated the same as our male counterparts.
The last thing any of us need is one of our own taking us backward.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dianna Russini controversy fuels the ugliest trope in sports
Dianna Russini is facing scrutiny for her interactions with NFL coach Mike Vrabel, which some interpret as compromising her credibility and that of other women in sports journalism.
Russini's actions have made it more challenging for women in sports journalism to maintain credibility, as they now face increased suspicion regarding their professional relationships with male athletes and coaches.
The investigation may clarify Russini's actions, but regardless of its findings, it has already contributed to damaging perceptions about female sports reporters.
Women in sports journalism are concerned because Russini's behavior reinforces negative stereotypes that undermine their professionalism and integrity in a male-dominated industry.
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