The Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal is getting more chaotic with each passing day. A newly released police bodycam footage has thrown gasoline on the fire. The recording refuted the former The Athletic reporter’s claim that she once FaceTimed an anonymous NFL head coach to avoid a texting-while-driving ticket.
The traffic stop footage reveals she didn’t FaceTime anyone. Instead, Russini tried to barter text messages and league gossip to wave off the citation. The officer asked her if she had an updated driver’s license.
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“You know, I drove from Foxboro this morning… And I drove in the snow for 5 and a half hours,” Russini said.
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Podcaster Tony Farmer exposed a narrative contradiction after watching the footage. While Russini used her commute from Foxborough to justify her exhaustion to the officer, Farmer’s investigation reveals she didn’t file a single piece of Patriots coverage that weekend.
Her most recent story before the traffic stop was about the Falcons and the Packers, leaving a question mark about why she was leaving Foxborough early in the morning, that too, in the middle of a blizzard.
Initially, there were reports that Russini’s children were in the car during the traffic stop. However, Farmer pointed out that there was no evidence of the same in the footage. Russini never mentions her kids to the officer, nor are they heard.
Tony Farmer calls out the New York Times over Dianna Russini bodycam footage
Dianna Russini’s offseason has been full of controversy, first over rumors involving Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and, more recently, over claims she made during a January traffic stop in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
The Center Square published police bodycam footage from the stop. While Russini had previously said on the “Stugotz and Company” podcast that she FaceTimed Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the encounter, the video reportedly shows no such call. Instead, she is seen showing the officer text messages with O’Connell.
Tony Farmer fired shots at the New York Times regarding the incident.
“She said she showed the cop on FaceTime his favorite team’s head coach. That did not happen, according to the bodycam footage. That’s going to be the headline that you see.” Farmer said.
“But there’s a much bigger story here. … Why didn’t the New York Times have this bodycam footage? They’ve had plenty of time to get this bodycam footage themselves. They have not.”
Farmer questioned whether the outlet was unable to obtain the footage or simply chose not to include it in its reporting.
Edited by Nishant