0:12
Neville: England have disrespected full-back role
England have once again disrespected the full-back position at a major tournament leaving them short of cover at right back heading into Wednesday's World Cup round-of-32 clash with DR Congo, says Gary Neville.
0:32
‘I’d do it again’: Ronald Koeman defiant in defeat after the Netherlands sent home
Dutch coach to ‘reflect on future’ after shootout loss
Mohamed Ouahbi says Morocco can be ‘unstoppable’
An embattled Ronald Koeman said he will consider his future as manager of the Netherlands after they were eliminated from the World Cup by Morocco.
The Netherlands tumbled out on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the last-32 tie, the pill even more bitter to swallow because they had been leading at the start of added time. Issa Diop cancelled out Cody Gakpo’s goal and, in a spiky post-match press conference, Koeman said he will decide whether to continue his three-and-a-half year tenure, which is his second in charge of the national team.
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1:25
England vs NZ player ratings: Archer impresses in Stokes' farewell Test
England suffered a 160-run defeat to New Zealand in the series-deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Ben Stokes' last match as an international cricketer following his shock retirement mid-game - here's how the players rated...
1:50
Morocco edge wild last-32 penalty shootout as Netherlands pay heavy price for misses
Maybe Morocco are about to do it all again. They are into the last 16 after a match that lasted almost three hours, winning a strange and error-strewn shootout to tee up a meeting with Canada. Ismael Saibari converted the winning penalty after his team and the Netherlands had fluffed their lines repeatedly. Perhaps it was fitting that, after the teams had missed twice apiece, the goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made the save that allowed Saibari his moment. He stood tall to bat away Crysencio Summerville’s shot, recalling his two saves in the win against Spain at Qatar 2022.
Morocco had deserved to win against a negative Netherlands, even if they only earned extra time when the centre-back Issa Diop headed in. One wonders how Cody Gakpo, playing despite the announcement he and his partner had lost their unborn son, could process the turnaround. He seemed to have scored the winner with a hammered finish in the 72nd minute, the emotions taking hold afterwards. Gakpo was in tears after scoring, pointing to the sky and being comforted by Denzel Dumfries. Football can be intensely cruel but some things hold infinitely greater importance.
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3:17
Dianna Russini traffic stop bodycam footage shows no FaceTime to NFL coach
Body camera footage has emerged of a traffic stop featuring former NFL journalist Dianna Russini, and despite her story claiming that she got out of a ticket for texting while driving by letting the cop use FaceTime with an NFL head coach, there’s no evidence of that in the video.
Russini bragged about the story during a radio appearance earlier this year, and her former employer, The Athletic, also mentioned it in a recent article.
Adam Herbets of The Center Square obtained seven-plus-minute video footage that shows Russini name-dropping her way out of a ticket, but never Facetiming an NFL coach (and never mentioning Mike Vrabel).
BREAKING – I have the bodycam video of Dianna Russini namedropping her way out of a ticket for texting while driving.
She claimed she got off by allowing the cop to FaceTime with his favorite NFL head coach. This video shows something a little different.https://t.co/HIUkgGh7Y0
— Adam Herbets (@AdamHerbets) June 30, 2026
“So, you’re not going to care; I’m an NFL reporter, and I just broke that Sean McDermott got fired from the Bills,” Russini told the officer. “And that is what I was just sending to send, a tweet. I was gonna pull over because I have to make calls. I know you don’t care, but I just wanted you to know my reason why.”
“Obviously, you were on your phone for a while… I understand you have a job,” the officer said.
Russini kept up the name-dropping of NFL coaches.
“You know who I was on the phone with? Brian Daboll,” Russini explained. “He wants the job.”
As the conversation continued, Russini asked the officer, “Are you a fan of the Giants or Jets?”
The officer explained that he’s not a fan of either team, but rather the Minnesota Vikings, “unfortunately.”
Russini roceeded to show the officer her phone, featuring a text conversation with Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“Oh my god. Wow. Pretty cool,” the officer responded.
“Their quarterback sucks,” Russini added.
“Listen, I’m going to cut you a break
“Listen, I’m gonna cut you a break on the cell phone,” the officer said later. “I understand your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait until you get home, okay… Keep me updated with the Vikings, okay? Let me know if KOC’s going to get a new quarterback.”
And with that footage and report emerging, the Ridgewood (NJ) Police Department issued the following statement about the officer not issuing a ticket to Russini (via Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk):
“On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 am, a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving.
“After following department protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini’s driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.
“The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to use their judgment and, when appropriate, provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department’s commitment to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing.”
The post Dianna Russini traffic stop bodycam footage shows no FaceTime to NFL coach appeared first on Awful Announcing.
7:09
‘I am not someone who runs away’: Nagelsmann will not quit after Germany exit
Julian Nagelsmann confirmed he isn’t stepping down after Germany’s World Cup exit in the last‑32 penalty shootout against Paraguay. He stressed he doesn’t run away from challenges and that the defeat, while painful, isn’t the first setback he’s faced. Nagelsmann said the situation calls for changes, but he’s ready to stay if the German Football Association wants him to.
He emphasized his familiarity with the sport’s inner workings and his willingness to keep building the team. The coach expressed a genuine desire to continue leading the national side, provided the DFB backs his tenure.
Paraguay marked the victory with a national holiday, underscoring the impact of the win. Nagelsmann’s message is clear: he’s prepared to move forward, not retreat.
8:09
Local police chief explains officer's decision to not ticket Dianna Russini
Now that the bodycam from the infamous traffic stop of former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini has emerged, the local authorities who pulled who didn't issue her a ticket have chimed in.
On Monday night, Chief Forest Ross Lyons of the Ridgewood, New Jersey, Police Department issued the following statement:
"On January 19, 2026, at 9:40 am, a Ridgewood police officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Godwin Avenue involving Ms. Dianna Russini for the use of a handheld cell phone while driving.
"After following department protocol during the stop, and reviewing Ms. Russini's driving history, the officer exercised his professional discretion and issued a verbal warning to Ms. Russini.
"The use of officer discretion in determining whether to issue a warning or a citation is consistent with Ridgewood Police Department policy and longstanding practice. Police officers are encouraged to use their judgment and, when appropriate, provide motorists with warnings as part of the Department's commitment to fair, impartial and community-oriented policing."
The bodycam shows that, contrary to the story Russini later told, she didn’t FaceTime an NFL head coach for help in avoiding a ticket. Instead, she name-dropped former Giants coach Brian Daboll and Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell as she explained why she was on her phone while driving.
9:47
Jeff Pearlman: ‘Media cowards’ refusal to address connection between football and ALS ‘irresponsible and grotesque’
On Monday, Chris Johnson, a former first-round pick of the Tennessee Titans and Pro Bowl running back, appeared on Good Morning America to reveal he has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Johnson, 40, said he was officially diagnosed last year.
“There’s no history of ALS in my family,” Johnson told co-anchor Michael Strahan, using a speech-to-text device triggered by his eye movements. “My doctors believe my case is what’s called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen.”
FULL INTERVIEW: Former NFL running back Chris Johnson reveals his ALS diagnosis at 39. pic.twitter.com/5Pb8YAQ5x0
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 29, 2026
The former NFL star who once rushed for over 2,000 yards in a season said the disease has progressed rapidly, and he hopes to help raise awareness and let people know he’s still the same person he was before ALS.
“It’s continued to progress much faster than I ever imagined. I want people to understand just how quickly ALS can attack your body,” he said. “Just over a year ago, I was picking up my 7-year-old daughter so she’d make a wish with her birthday cake. Today, I couldn’t do that.”
Noted sportswriter Jeff Pearlman watched the heartbreaking GMA interview and came away frustrated and angry with what he perceives as a lack of conversation in the media around the connection between football and ALS.
@jeffpearlmanauthor Former NFL star Chris Johnson has ALS. Media cowards refuse to address ties between the disease and football. Shame. #michaelstrahan #chrisjohnson #als #titans #football ♬ original sound – Jeff Pearlman
“We know by now through studies that there is a correlation between playing football and ALS. A much higher percentage of people who play football, specifically in the NFL, wind up with ALS than the general population. It is a known thing,” said Pearlman in a TikTok video. “The number of times Michael Strahan, a former football player, asks Chris Johnson about this? Zero. The number of times Good Morning America brings this up? Zero. It is so f*cking irresponsible and grotesque.
“Michael Strahan, who’s paid by the NFL, Michael Strahan who makes his money commenting on NFL games, doesn’t bring it up. He knows the tie between football and ALS. He He has seen fellow players suffer from ALS because they played football. And you are so f*cking soulless, and you are so corporately owned that you will not bring it up.”
Pearlman then pulls up ESPN’s article on Johnson and starts rattling off what was written in it.
“Okay, ESPN.com article headline: Former NFL running back Chris Johnson discusses ALS diagnosis. All right. Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk releases statement on Johnson’s diagnosis. Noting that the former running back’s leadership on the field, in addition to his impact in the locker room and Nashville community, have written him permanently into the story of this franchise. The Cardinals sent a social media post. They are sending strength, love, and support. The Jets and the NFL Players Association also released messages of support for Johnson.
“Then the article talks about ALS and what it is— Lou Gehrig’s disease. Not one f*cking mention of the ties between football and ALS And ESPN in bed with the NFL. It is so f*cking gross. ‘Johnson, who is taking part in a clinical trial as part of his treatment—’ why does he have ALS? Why don’t you interview someone who talks about the ties between NFL and ALS? How about one statistic, one single statistic about, um, studies done on football and the impact on ALS? It is so— it’s not just irresponsible, it’s grotesque. It is f*cking grotesque.”
Pearlman’s video was posted around 3:00 p.m. on Monday. The ESPN News Services article he was referring to does include a reference to the connection between playing pro football and ALS, though it’s unclear whether it was added later or he simply missed it.
“Tim Shaw, who had a six-year career as a linebacker in the NFL and was a teammate of Johnson’s with the Titans from 2010 to 2012, was diagnosed in 2014 at age 30 with ALS and is still alive.
“According to scientific research by Boston University’s CTE Center, the results of which were released in 2021, pro football players are four times more likely to develop and die from ALS than the adult male population. At the time, the center said it couldn’t determine exactly why the rate was higher for those athletes but suggested that repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injuries might play a role.”
Pearlman added that he’s not asking for anyone to stop playing football, simply that he would like to see the precautions shown and shared regularly.
15:12
The Dianna Russini traffic stop bodycam emerges, with no FaceTime to any NFL coach
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.
As it turns out, Dianna Russini didn't FaceTime an NFL head coach for help in getting out of a ticket for texting while driving.
She claimed she did during a February segment with the Stugotz and Company radio show. Her anecdote was mentioned at the outset of last week's lengthy article in the New York Times, her former employer.
The bodycam video of the Dianna Russini traffic stop has now been posted by Adam Herbets of the Center Square.
The seven minute, 10 second video includes the entire traffic stop. At no point does it include a FaceTime call to any head coach.
After the officer approaches her car, Russini says, "I'm an NFL reporter, and I just broke that Sean McDermott got fired from the Bills. And that I what I was just sending to send [sic], a tweet. I was gonna pull over, because I have to make calls. I know you don't care, but I just wanted you to know my reason why."
The officer says, "Obviously you were on your phone for a while. . . . I understand you've got a job."
Then, Russini says, "You know who I was on the phone with? Brian Daboll. He wants the job."
Next, she asks the officer if he's a fan of the Giants or Jets.
"I'm actually — I'm not a fan of either," the officer says.
"What is your team?" Russini replies.
"I'm a Vikings fan, unfortunately," he said.
Russini then shows him her phone, and a text exchange with Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell. But she didn't FaceTime O'Connell. She simply showed the officer her phone.
She also added, regarding the Vikings, "Their quarterback sucks."
After going to his vehicle, the officer eventually returns and says, "I'm gonna cut you a break on the cellphone. I understand your job requires you to be on the phone a lot. Just try to wait 'til you get home, OK?"
And that was that. There was never a FaceTime. So, while it made for an interesting radio story on a radio show, it never happened.
17:29
Kyle Pitts believes "there's a lot more out there" for him after signing new deal
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When Kyle Pitts signed the franchise tag on April 7, the Falcons tight end figured he was playing 2026 under the one-year, $15.045 million tag. But on Monday, he signed a three-year, $54 million contract.
“It was more so, ‘OK, that was my opportunity that Atlanta picked it back up to give me another year to showcase,’” Pitts said Monday, via Daniel Flick of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, “and then it was just time to squeeze the rag and just grind. I was fortunate I got the call and the interest in the long term, and when it happened, it was pretty great.”
While Pitts has not lived up to the generational talent that he was projected as the fourth overall pick in 2021, he is only 25 and coming off a season when he earned second-team All-Pro honors. He set career highs with 88 receptions and five touchdowns in 2025, with 928 yards.
Pitts said he "100 percent" believes his best football is still ahead of him, which is what the Falcons are counting on.
“I think there’s a lot more out there, a lot more to get, and a lot more things to keep grinding towards. It’s cool to see," Pitts said.
