Report: Dianna Russini rescues old man, dog trapped in rollover crash amid Mike Vrabel scandal

Embattled NFL reporter Dianna Russini has had a difficult week after resigning from her role with The Athletic on Tuesday. Russini’s resignation came amid an internal investigation into her activities after The New York Post‘s Page Six released pictures of her hugging and holding hands with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel during a recent vacation at a luxury hotel in Arizona.

But, even amid the rampant speculation into her personal life, Russini apparently didn’t hesitate when faced with an opportunity to help save an elderly man and his dog from a rollover car crash Wednesday in Wyckoff, New Jersey. According to Page Six’s “spies,” the 43-year-old Russini reportedly leapt to action and helped pull both the elderly driver and his dog from their overturned Jeep, which was allegedly hit by a 17-year-old driver Honda Civic according to local New Jersey site Patch.

“She ran out and had a tall man put her on top of the Jeep to open the door, and she and the other guy pulled the driver and his dog out of the Jeep,” a local “spy” allegedly told Page Six. Police sources reportedly told Page Six that officers believe several bystanders provided assistance prior to their arrival on scene, though there was no official mention that Russini was among those good Samaritans.

The Athletic issues company memo after Dianna Russini resignation over Mike Vrabel controversy

Russini resigned Tuesday amid as public pressure mounted following last week’s release of a series of photos that featured her holding hands and hugging Vrabel at a luxury hotel in Arizona. Russini had been suspended and was facing an internal review by her publisher.

The Athletic’s editorial guidelines strictly state “journalists (must) avoid any activities that pose a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict, so as not to call into question their credibility.” The Athletic executive editor Steven Ginsberg issued an internal memo Tuesday explaining the situation following Russini’s resignation and reassured staff the publication remains dedicated to its mission.

“I’m writing to let you know that Dianna Russini has submitted her resignation from The Athletic, effective immediately,” Ginsberg wrote. “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 that we learned about it.

“Our coverage at The Athletic is deeply rooted in our integrity and our commitment to earning the trust of our audience. Our newsroom has thrived because of our core journalistic values, and we will always ensure they are protected.”

In her resignation letter to The Athletic, Russini did not admit wrongdoing but instead characterized her resignation as the result of ongoing public ‘speculation’ that has ’caused far more damage’ than she was willing to accept. She is stepping aside before her contract was set to expire on June 30.

— Thomas Goldkamp and Daniel Hager contributed to this report.