Staff members within The Athletic and its parent company, The New York Times, have expressed concerns about the publication's handling of the Dianna Russini/Mike Vrabel situation. One source called the companies' handling of this matter "unnecessarily messy". Another objected to their initial statement from The Athletic executive editor, Steven Ginsberg, which did not mention an investigation had already begun. This makes it less likely that Russini will return to The Athletic before her contract expires in 2026.