Dianna Russini, the senior NFL insider at The Athletic and co-host of the podcast Scoop City with Chase Daniel, has been making waves in the football world since joining the company last fall after eight years at ESPN. Her presence on television was ubiquitous, and now she is one of the major players in the ultra-competitive news-breaking space as the NFL’s regular season approaches.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Russini shared insights on her work and experiences at The Athletic. When asked about a survey conducted by The Athletic revealing that 70 percent of football fans believe their gameday rituals impact their team’s performance, Russini discussed the ongoing campaign celebrating fan superstitions. She expressed, “This is something that The Athletic is doing, basically tapping into fandom and trying to figure out, dig a little deeper on their superstitions to connect with the fanbase more. People can send a photo or write in what their superstitions are and they get some perks of our coverage.”
Reflecting on her upcoming second NFL season at The Athletic, Russini explained the difference between Year 1 and Year 2. She shared, “Just like anything else, the first year you do anything, you’re trying to figure it out. You’re trying to figure out your voice, where you can be helpful, where you can be productive. It was about figuring out how I could contribute to The Athletic and what that would look like.”
Russini also touched on the unique team culture at The Athletic, emphasizing the collaboration efforts and support among colleagues. She stated, “There’s a strong team culture here. We have beat reporters on almost every single team so much of my daily routine is checking in with the reports on the ground and helping, showing support any way I can. Whether it’s checking with a source or finding out some information that’s going on behind the scenes.”
When asked about the moment she realized the atmosphere at The Athletic was different from anything she had experienced before, Russini reflected on the embrace of her role and contributions. She remarked, “That was something I figured out this last year that was needed at The Athletic but also something that was embraced so I’m going to continue to do that this season.”
As the NFL season gears up for kickoff, Dianna Russini remains a prominent figure in sports journalism, bringing fans closer to the game with her insightful reporting and dedication to connecting with the audience on a personal level.
