New bodycam footage has emerged showing former NFL insider Dianna Russini referencing Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell in an apparent effort to avoid a traffic ticket. The video does not confirm an earlier allegation of a FaceTime call between O'Connell and a police officer.
The incident occurred after Russini was stopped for texting while driving, with her two young sons in the car. She claimed on the "Stugotz and Company" podcast in February that she was trying to report the news that the Buffalo Bills had fired head coach Sean McDermott at the time of the stop. Russini stated that she prevented a ticket by having the head coach of the officer's favorite team speak with him via FaceTime.
During the traffic stop captured on video, the officer informed Russini that he was a fan of the Vikings. Russini then reportedly showed the officer messages she had with O'Connell. The footage indicates she made a comment about the Vikings' quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, stating he "sucks."
After the officer reviewed Russini's documentation, he informed her he would "cut [her] a break on the cellphone," acknowledging that her job required her to be on the phone often. He advised her to "try to wait 'til you get home, OK?"
The incident follows an investigation into Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel's alleged relationship, which was published by The New York Times on June 24. The report detailed Russini's employment at The Athletic, owned by the New York Times, and noted dissatisfaction from her bosses regarding her sharing the story of using her alleged connection with O'Connell to avoid a ticket. It was also reported that Russini did not seek or receive permission to appear on the podcast where she initially discussed the incident.