The Athletic is conducting an internal investigation into NFL reporter Dianna Russini's coverage and her relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The investigation was prompted by photos that surfaced this week showing Russini and Vrabel together at an Arizona resort. The images have raised questions about the nature of their relationship and potential conflicts of interest in Russini's reporting.

Russini covers the NFL for The Athletic, a sports news organization owned by The New York Times. Professional journalism standards typically require reporters to disclose personal relationships that could affect their coverage or create conflicts of interest.

The emergence of the photos has sparked debate within sports media circles about appropriate boundaries between journalists and the subjects they cover. News organizations commonly have policies governing reporter relationships with sources and newsmakers.

Neither The Athletic nor representatives for Russini or Vrabel immediately responded to requests for comment about the investigation. The scope and timeline of the internal review have not been disclosed.