The Athletic's internal review into reporter Dianna Russini's conduct will proceed, even after her resignation from the sports media outlet. The investigation was launched following the publication of photos showing Russini with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, raising questions about journalistic boundaries.

In a message to staff, The Athletic's executive editor, Steven Ginsberg, confirmed Russini's departure but stressed the seriousness with which leadership is treating the matter. "While I can't share the details of our investigation into Dianna's conduct, I want to emphasize that the leadership of The Athletic has taken this matter seriously from the moment we learned about it," Ginsberg stated.

He further explained that the review is ongoing as new information has come to light. "When this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns, but we received a detailed explanation and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continued to review the matter," Ginsberg wrote. "As additional information emerged, new questions were raised that became part of our investigation."

Russini's resignation, which came with her contract set to expire at the end of June, appears not to have halted the process. This situation highlights the intense scrutiny and professional standards within sports journalism, where maintaining clear lines between reporters and the teams they cover is paramount for credibility.