Ex-NFL reporter Dianna Russini interaction with police officer to dodge traffic ticket comes to light

Police bodycam footage appeared to refute a assertion made by erstwhile NFL newsman Dianna Russini earlier this twelvemonth astir what she did to get retired of a postulation ticket.

Russini, whose narration with New England Patriots caput manager Mike Vrabel led to her resigning from her relation with The Athletic successful April, said connected the "Stugotz and Company" amusement backmost successful February that she FaceTimed the NFL coach, though she didn't driblet the name, of the officer's favourite squad aft being pulled implicit for being connected her phone.

It was a communicative that came up again during the New York Times' heavy dive into the Russini-Vrabel controversy, and present constabulary bodycam footage has confirmed that wasn't the case. However, she did name-drop a coach.

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ESPN newsman Dianna Russini looks connected during the NFL crippled betwixt the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers astatine Heinz Field successful Pittsburgh, Pa., connected Sept. 16, 2018. (Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire)

The footage went conscionable implicit 7 minutes long, arsenic Russini was stopped successful Ridgewood, New Jersey, for utilizing her telephone portion driving. Not lone did a FaceTime ne'er happen, but nary telephone astatine each occurred during the speech betwixt Russini and the officer.

What did occur, though, was Russini showing the serviceman texts she had been having with Minnesota Vikings caput manager Kevin O'Connell, and she showed the serviceman her telephone with the texts connected it.

DIANNA RUSSINI PULLED PATHETIC MOVE WITH AN OFFICER TO GET OUT OF A TICKET, AND IT SHOULD HAVE THE NFL NERVOUS

"I'm an NFL reporter, and I conscionable broke that Seam McDermott got fired from the Bills," Russini told the serviceman astir immediately, knowing wherefore she was being pulled over. "I was gonna propulsion implicit due to the fact that I person to marque calls. I cognize you don't care, but I'm conscionable letting you cognize my crushed why. It was a enactment happening and it was an exigency for what I do."

McDermott was fired the greeting of Jan. 19, which was the day shown connected the bodycam footage, aft the Bills' AFC Divisional Round nonaccomplishment to the Denver Broncos.

The serviceman replied that Russini had been connected her telephone "for a while" earlier pulling her over, though helium did admit she had a occupation to do.

Russini continued, telling the serviceman that erstwhile New York Giants caput manager Brian Daboll "wants the job" with the Bills. He was connected to the squad fixed his past with Buffalo anterior to joining the Giants, but they hired in-house with Joe Brady being promoted from violative coordinator to caput coach. Daboll ended up joining Robert Saleh's unit arsenic violative coordinator of the Tennessee Titans.

Dianna Russini, left, and Mike Vrabel, right, are shown successful a divided composite representation featuring Russini with an ESPN microphone and Vrabel connected the Titans sideline wearing a headset. (Imagn Images)

Russini, then, asked if the serviceman was a Giants oregon Jets instrumentality fixed the New Jersey ties. When helium responded by saying helium was a Vikings fan, it prompted Russini to seemingly amusement texts with O'Connell. The conversation, which included Russini saying the Vikings' backmost "sucks" and "KOC's awesome" yet led to the serviceman letting her disconnected with a warning.

"I’m gonna chopped you a interruption connected the cellphone," the serviceman was heard saying. "I recognize your occupation requires you to beryllium connected the telephone a lot. Just effort to hold until you get home, OK?"

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The Center Square archetypal reported Russini's enactment with the officer.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Russini and the Vikings for comment.

Ridgewood Police Chief Forest Lyons issued a connection connected the matter.

"On January 19, 2026, astatine 9:40 a.m., a Ridgewood constabulary serviceman conducted a centrifugal conveyance halt connected Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the usage of a handheld compartment telephone portion driving," the connection read. "After pursuing section protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the serviceman exercised his nonrecreational discretion and issued a verbal informing to Ms. Russini.

Dianna Russini attends the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party astatine Pier 48 successful San Francisco, California, connected Feb. 7, 2026. (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

"The usage of serviceman discretion successful determining whether to contented a informing oregon a citation is accordant with Ridgewood Police Department argumentation and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to usage their judgement and, erstwhile appropriate, supply motorists with warnings arsenic portion of the Department’s committedness to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing."

Russini resigned from her station astatine The Athletic amid mounting disapproval implicit her narration with Vrabel aft photographs of them hugging and holding hands astatine a backstage edifice successful Sedona, Arizona, went viral. After initially trying to downplay it, saying "reporters interact with sources distant from stadiums and different venues," Russini yet released her resignation.

After the archetypal photos, others dating backmost to 2020 showed Vrabel and Russini kissing astatine a barroom successful New York City. The pictures exclusively obtained by the New York Post were taken successful the aboriginal hours of March 11, 2020. 

"They were kissing, and they were each implicit each other," an eyewitness told the outlet. "He had a ringing on."

Dianna Russini appears connected the reddish carpet anterior to the NFL Honors awards presumption astatine YouTube Theater successful Los Angeles, Calif., connected Feb. 10, 2022. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)

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While Russini resigned, Vrabel was backmost with the Patriots aft a counseling visit, which fell connected Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Vrabel said helium had hard conversations with his family, portion besides speaking with his players astir the situation. The Patriots said earlier the draught they "fully support" Vrabel, allowing him to question the counseling helium desired contempt 4 rounds of the draught inactive remaining.

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