New York Times Calls Dianna Russini’s NFL Coach FaceTime Traffic Stop an Ethics Breach

The New York Times has officially labeled Dianna Russini‘s conduct “unacceptable” after she used her access to an NFL head coach to avoid a traffic ticket, a finding that is now expected to factor into a formal internal investigation at The Athletic. A Times Company spokeswoman issued the characterization in response to reporting on the incident, which Russini had previously described publicly on a podcast.

Russini is one of the most prominent NFL insiders in the business. The fact that her former employer, The Athletic, is owned and operated by the New York Times, labeled her conduct as unacceptable, marks a significant escalation of what had been building as a behind-the-scenes media ethics controversy.

What the NYT’s Statement Said

A Times Company spokeswoman told the New York Times that Russini’s effort to enlist an NFL head coach to persuade a police officer to release her without a ticket constituted “unacceptable conduct.” The statement was issued after the Times reported it had not previously been aware of a January 2026 podcast appearance in which Russini described the incident herself.

The incident is now expected to be cited in The Athletic’s ongoing internal investigation into Russini’s conduct. The Times article was written by Katherine Rosman and Ken Belson, both experienced reporters on the media and sports business. This suggests that the paper is treating this as a newsroom-standards matter.

What the Ticket Incident Involved

In January 2026, Russini was pulled over for texting and driving with her two young sons in the car. She told the officer that Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott had been fired and that she was trying to break the news. When the officer indicated he was a fan of a different team, Russini offered to connect him with that team’s head coach.

On the podcast, Russini described what happened next: “Do you want to talk to the coach? You should talk to the coach. . . . I FaceTime the head coach. Head coach is in his office. He said, ‘What’s up?’ I go, ‘I just got pulled over, and I just wanted you to meet my friend, Officer Joe.'” The unnamed coach responded by telling the officer, “You should let her go, she’s a good citizen.” Russini was not ticketed.

The Times confirmed the coach in question was not New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel. His identity has not been publicly disclosed. Russini resigned from The Athletic in April after photos of her and Vrabel at a resort together were made public.

The Athletic’s internal investigation is still ongoing, and it’s not known whether the final report will reveal the identity of the unnamed coach.