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Police body camera footage appears to disprove a claim made by former NFL reporter Dianna Russini earlier this year about what she did to escape a traffic ticket.
Russini, whose relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel led her to resign from her role at The Athletic in April, said on “Stugotz and Company” in February that she called the NFL coach, although she did not drop the name, from the officer’s favorite team after she was arrested for being on the phone.
It’s a story that came up during The New York Times’ in-depth look at the Russini-Vrabel controversy, and now police body camera footage has confirmed that wasn’t the case. However, she appointed a coach.
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ESPN reporter Dianna Russini watches the NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 16, 2018. (Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)
The footage lasted just over seven minutes, as Russini was arrested in Ridgewood, New Jersey, for using her phone while driving. Not only did no FaceTime take place, but no calls took place during the exchange between Russini and the officer.
What happened, however, was that Russini showed the officers text messages she had with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, and she showed the officer her phone with the texts on it.
DIANNA RUSSINI MADE A PATHETIC MOVE WITH AN OFFICER TO GET OUT OF A TICKET, AND THIS SHOULD MAKE THE NFL NERVOUS
“I’m an NFL reporter and I just learned that Seam McDermott was fired from the Bills,” Russini told the officer almost immediately, understanding why she was arrested. “I was going to stop because I have to make some calls. I know you don’t care, but I’m just telling you why. It was a work matter and it was an emergency for what I do.”
McDermott was fired the morning of Jan. 19, the date shown on body camera footage, after the Bills’ AFC Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos.
The officer responded that Russini had been on the phone “for a while” before arresting her, although he acknowledged she had a job to do.
Russini went on to tell the officer that former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll “wants the job” with the Bills. He was linked to the team given his history with Buffalo before joining the Giants, but they hired internally, with Joe Brady being promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach. Daboll ended up joining Robert Saleh’s staff as offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans.
Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are pictured in a split composite image showing Russini with an ESPN microphone and Vrabel on the Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)
Russini then asked if the officer was a Giants or Jets fan given the ties to New Jersey. When he responded saying he was a Vikings fan, it prompted Russini to apparently show texts with O’Connell. The conversation, during which Russini said the Vikings quarterback “sucks” and “KOC is awesome,” ultimately led the officer to let her go with a warning.
“I’m going to give you a break on the phone,” the officer is heard saying. “I understand that your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait until you get home, okay?
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The Center Square first reported Russini’s interaction with the officer.
PK Press Club Digital has contacted Russini and the Vikings for comment.
Ridgewood Police Chief Forest Lyons released a statement on the matter.
“On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 a.m., a Ridgewood Police Officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for using a cell phone while driving,” the release states. “After following department protocol during the stop and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.
Dianna Russini attends the Fanatics Super Bowl Party 2026 at Pier 48 in San Francisco, California on February 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or citation is consistent with long-standing policy and practice of the Ridgewood Police Department. Police officers are encouraged to use judgment and, where appropriate, provide warnings to motorists as part of the department’s commitment to fair, impartial, and community-oriented policing.”
Russini resigned from his position at The Athletic amid growing criticism of his relationship with Vrabel after photographs of them kissing and holding hands at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona, went viral. After initially trying to downplay the situation, saying that “journalists interact with sources far from stadiums and other locations”, Russini eventually issued his resignation.
After the original photos, others from 2020 showed Vrabel and Russini kissing in a New York bar. The photos exclusively obtained by the New York Post were taken in the early hours of March 11, 2020.
“They were kissing and they were on top of each other,” an eyewitness told the outlet. “He wore a ring.”
Dianna Russini appears on the red carpet before the NFL Honors Awards at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, California on February 10, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
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While Russini resigned, Vrabel was back with the Patriots after a consulting visit, which took place on the third day of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Vrabel said he had difficult conversations with his family, while also talking about the situation with his players. The Patriots said before the draft that they “fully supported” Vrabel, allowing him to seek whatever advice he wanted despite four rounds remaining in the draft.
