The Athletic staffers reportedly took issue with publication's 'unnecessarily messy' response to Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel hotel photos

Some at The Athletic reportedly felt the company's initial response to the Dianna Russini story was a public-relations fumble. 

Last Tuesday, the New York Post published photos of NFL insider Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel holding hands and spending time together at a pool during a stay at the Ambiente hotel in Sedona, Ariz., in late March. Russini has since been sidelined from reporting amid an ongoing probe. The investigation began much earlier than previously thought, and company insiders felt it should've been divulged to the public much sooner. 

The Athletic staffers discuss handling of Dianna Russini situation

In a story published Monday, Natalie Korach of Status reported that The Athletic launched an investigation after learning of the photographs and subsequently pulled Russini from reporting. Executive editor Steven Ginsberg, though, backed her soon after the news broke. 

"These photos are misleading and lack essential context," Ginsberg said in a statement. "These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL, and we're proud to have her at The Athletic." 

Ginsberg's response reportedly upset staffers. A source told Korach that the editor's failure to mention the ongoing investigation was "premature," "reckless" and, even worse, "unintentionally sneaky." Another source said the handling of the situation was "unnecessarily messy." 

The New York Times, which owns The Athletic, didn't reveal it was investigating the photos until this past Saturday. It clearly should've considered doing so much earlier. 

The fiasco has created a mess for the media company. Ginsberg's reaction appears to have only made matters worse. It made it appear The Athletic was potentially trying to cover for Russini, when that may not have been the case.

The debacle has likely diminished Russini's credibility and The Athletic's reputation. The publication should've been much more transparent about its handling of the viral story. Instead, it lacked a clear strategy and mishandled its first reply.

The Athletic had better be more careful as the rest of the investigation unfolds. It could lose readers' trust after the Russini-Vrabel photos. Another public relations hiccup could only further erode their confidence in the digital media subsidiary and the prestigious company that oversees it.