[4][5] Dilanian played football at Williams and is credited with a major role in helping the Ephmen achieve their first unbeaten and untied season in a century.
[7] Dilanian joined USA Today in 2007, where he worked three years covering foreign policy and Congress.
[8][9] Dilanian routinely submitted drafts of his stories to the Central Intelligence Agency for approval, according to CIA documents.
[12] After leaving the Los Angeles Times, Dilanian worked briefly as lead national security reporter for the Associated Press before joining NBC News in 2015 as justice and intelligence correspondent, a role he continues to hold as of 2024[update].
[13] Dilanian is the recipient of the 2007 Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for a series he co-authored on Philadelphia's child welfare system.