Russini Footage Contradicts Claim
Bodycam Footage Refutes Dianna Russini's FaceTime Story, Intensifying Credibility Scrutiny
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Key Points
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The bodycam footage duration is seven minutes and 10 seconds and the video location is Ridgewood, New Jersey. It shows no FaceTime call with any NFL coach and instead captures Russini explaining she’s an NFL reporter who had just broken that Sean McDermott was fired, mentioning Brian Daboll, and showing a text exchange with Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell.
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The officer’s reaction provides context: he identifies as a Vikings fan and ultimately cuts Russini a break on the cellphone, telling her to try to wait until she gets home despite acknowledging her job requires being on the phone.
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The broader professional context remains central: the New York Times labeled Russini’s conduct 'unacceptable,' which fed into a formal standards review at The Athletic and contributed to her resignation, with ongoing media scrutiny continuing to follow the case.
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The new footage contradicts Russini’s earlier public account that she FaceTimed an NFL head coach to avoid a ticket; multiple outlets highlight that she told the Stugotz and Company show she had FaceTimed a coach, but the bodycam shows no such call, instead showing a focus on text messages and reporting.
Bodycam footage from a January 19 traffic stop in Ridgewood, New Jersey has disproved a story told by former NFL reporter Dianna Russini. She claimed on a radio show that she avoided a ticket by FaceTiming an NFL head coach. The seven-minute, 10-second video shows no FaceTime call ever happened, according to The SportsRush and Gridiron Heroics.
Instead, the footage shows Russini telling a Ridgewood police officer she had just broken news about Sean McDermott's firing. She showed him a text thread with Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell and name-dropped Giants coach Brian Daboll. The officer, a self-identified Vikings fan, let her off with a warning. The revelation adds to a growing credibility crisis that already cost Russini her job at The Athletic.
What the Bodycam Actually Shows vs. Her Story
Russini told the Stugotz and Company radio show in February 2026 that she FaceTimed an unnamed NFL head coach so the officer could speak with him directly. That story spread widely. Then investigative reporter Adam Herbets released the footage on June 29, according to Marca. The video shows zero FaceTime activity at any point during the stop.
What the footage does show: Russini explaining she is an NFL reporter, claiming she "just broke" that McDermott was fired, and displaying text messages with O'Connell on her phone. She also told the officer, "You know who I was on the phone with? Brian Daboll. He wants the job," according to Yahoo Sports. The officer acknowledged her job required being on the phone and chose not to issue a citation.
Kevin O'Connell's Name Used as Leverage During Stop
Russini did not just mention O'Connell casually. She physically showed the officer her text conversation with the Vikings head coach, according to Gridiron Heroics. The officer identified himself as a Vikings fan on camera. Critics say Russini used O'Connell's name as leverage, not as routine reporting context.
Ridgewood Police Chief Forest Ross Lyons defended his officer, saying the decision to issue a warning was "consistent with department policy" and framed it as routine discretion. But the footage shows the officer visibly responding to the name-drops before letting her go, according to Yahoo Sports.
NYT Called Her Conduct 'Unacceptable,' Then She Resigned
The traffic stop is only one piece of a larger collapse. In April 2026, the New York Post published photos of Russini with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort. Both were married to other people. The Athletic, owned by The New York Times, opened a formal standards review into her reporting, including a 4,000-word feature on Vrabel she had brokered, according to The SportsRush.
Russini resigned from The Athletic on April 14, 2026. On June 24, The New York Times published a deep investigation. Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha said her attempt to use coaching connections to dodge a ticket was "unacceptable conduct." Russini, who reportedly earned $800,000 per year at The Athletic, now describes herself as a "former journalist" in text communications with the Times, according to Marca.
Media Critics Say the Lie Undermines All Her Past Reporting
The FaceTime story was told as a funny insider anecdote on a comedy-leaning sports podcast. Some observers argue it was harmless exaggeration for entertainment. But journalism watchdogs see it differently. Gridiron Heroics notes the fabrication is now documented via government records, making it a verifiable lie rather than a matter of interpretation.
Media critics say the pattern — blurring personal relationships with sources, shaping stories around access, and embellishing public anecdotes — reflects wider problems in sports access journalism. With the Times labeling her conduct unacceptable and bodycam footage proving her story false, her return to mainstream sports reporting looks remote, according to Yahoo Sports.
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