The Detroit Lions have a tough task climbing out of the bottom of the NFC North standings this season, but one area where they can rest is at the quarterback position. With Jared Goff under center, the Lions are in a good position to compete for another division title and it puts them at an advantage over the Minnesota Vikings going into the 2026 season.
If there was any evidence to that point, it came from former NFL insider Dianna Russini. Russini, who worked for The Athletic at the time, was pulled over for texting and driving shortly after the 2025 season ended and the bodycam video of the traffic stop was released by The Center Square’s Adam Herbets on Monday night.
During the exchange, Russini told the officer that she was an NFL reporter and the conversation got to the point where she asked about his favorite team. When the officer revealed it was the Vikings, Russini showed him a text exchange with head coach Kevin O’Connell and may have shed some light on the Vikings’ opinion on their quarterback, J.J. McCarthy.
Russini: “Look what I said to him, though, just now. Go to the bottom.”
Officer: “Oh my god. Wow, pretty cool.”
Russini: “Dude, I love the Vikings. KOC’s awesome.”
Officer: “Yeah, he seems like a good dude.”
Russini: “Your quarterback sucks, though.”
Dianna Russini’s Vikings reveal confirms Lions advantage at QB for 2026
Lions fans may have some pause in having a laugh as McCarthy beat Detroit in a Week 9 matchup. But whatever good vibes didn’t laugh as McCarthy went to the visitor’s locker room at Ford Field and created the moment that led to the “Nine” meme that has defined his short time in the NFL.
Since then, it’s been a struggle for McCarthy. Taking over for Sam Darnold, who won 14 games in Minnesota the year before, McCarthy posted a 6-4 record but completed just 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. With Darnold also going on to win the Super Bowl, it wound up costing general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah his job and apparently caused KOC to voice his frustrations to a national reporter.
McCarthy’s performance wasn’t the only ripple effect Minnesota has created in the NFC North. Russini had a strong source inside the building as the Vikings were considering signing former Lions nemesis Aaron Rodgers last season and it’s possible that steam came straight from O’Connell.
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The Vikings also signed Kyler Murray to compete with McCarthy during training camp, but Murray is the heavy favorite to win the starting job, adding another former No. 1 overall pick to the NFC North.
The Lions have some of their own issues going into this season, but the quarterback position isn’t one of them. With Goff working under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, the Lions should be able to find the high-octane performance they had under Ben Johnson. That could also help the Lions crack Brian Flores’s defense and give them the win or two that was the difference between them making the playoffs and watching from Cancun last season.
For the most important position in the game, the Lions have it pretty good. And that gives them good reason to laugh at whatever is going on in Minnesota.
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