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Officer issues verbal warning to reporter pulled over for phone use
The Independent reported on body-cam footage from a January traffic stop in Ridgewood, New Jersey, involving former NFL reporter Dianna Russini. She was pulled over for phone use while driving but received a verbal warning. The footage differs from an anecdote she shared earlier on a podcast.
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Body-cam footage released Monday shows former NFL reporter Dianna Russini was pulled over in January in Ridgewood, New Jersey, for using her phone while driving. The Independent reported that Russini told the officer she had been texting after breaking the news that Sean McDermott was fired from the Bills.
She said she planned to pull over to make calls and described the situation as an emergency tied to her job.
The officer stated he had seen her using the phone in multiple locations. Russini mentioned a recent call with former New York Giants coach Brian Daboll and asked if the officer followed the Giants or Jets. He replied that he liked the Minnesota Vikings.
The officer agreed. He returned her documents and issued a verbal warning, stating he understood her job required phone use. A Ridgewood Police Department spokesperson confirmed the verbal warning.
Captain Glenn Ender said officers are encouraged to use judgment and issue warnings when appropriate. The footage contrasts with a story Russini told on a February podcast episode, where she claimed she allowed the officer to FaceTime an unnamed coach who then urged the officer to let her go.
The New York Times Company, which owns The Athletic, called the podcast account unacceptable conduct because she lacked required approval to appear.
Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after tabloid photos showed her hugging and holding hands with married New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel at a luxury Arizona resort in March. Both have denied a romantic relationship. Russini, 43, earned an $800,000 annual salary at the outlet after joining in 2023 following nearly a decade at ESPN.
