After the whole Mike Vrabel controversy row, the former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini is again making headlines for the wrong reasons.

As reported by the New York Post, former NFL insider Dianna Russini called out Minnesota Vikings star quarterback JJ McCarthy when she was pulled over by police in January.

“I love the Vikings, KOC [Kevin O’Connell] is awesome. Your quarterback s**** though,” Russini said.

Although the former reporter did not directly mention his name, when the police officer confessed that he is a Vikings fan, she went on and abruptly called out the Minnesota Vikings’ starter.

It was evident that she was clearly talking about McCarthy, as in the 2025 NFL season, he was the primary QB for the Vikings. 

The rookie quarterback had a rough start to his career with the Vikings. Per Pro Football Reference, McCarthy appeared in 10 games for the Vikings, in which he scored 11 TDs while throwing for 1,632 yards with a CMP% of 57.6 in 2025.

The police officer let her go without a ticket after she handed over her license and registration, but she again managed to gain buzz around her for all the wrong reasons. 

As the Minnesota Vikings head into the 2026 NFL season, uncertainty around their primary starter remains at its peak.

J.J. McCarthy Remains at the Center of Vikings' QB1 Battle

One of the biggest mysteries for the NFL community is who will lead the Minnesota Vikings squad in the 2026 NFL season: Kyler Murray or JJ McCarthy?

As reported by Jackson Stone of the NFL on Clutch Points, the NFL analyst Albert Breer has weighed in on the Minnesota Vikings' quarterback competition between JJ McCarthy and Kyler Murray.

“J.J. McCarthy vs. Kyler Murray is going to be very much a let-the-best-man-win derby (with the team’s investments in either guy a nonfactor). Most assume that Murray will win the competition, and if I had to bet, I’d agree,” Breer said. “But McCarthy’s got his shot now to show that with another year of experience, he’s playing with a greater and more calm command than he did a year ago, with a talented roster around him.”

During the team's OTAs, Murray and McCarthy competed against each other for the role of QB1 on the Vikings, their competition has left many NFL pundits divided on the topic.

As the 2026 NFL season approaches, it is still unclear who will lead the Vikings squad on the path to the Lombardi Trophy. 

Read more at the Detroit Lions Community!

Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker