San Francisco 49ers podcaster Tony Farmer has reignited debate around NFL awards voting after resurfacing comments from former insider Dianna Russini about her 2024 MVP ballot. What started as a casual podcast conversation has now snowballed into a larger discussion involving Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Mike Vrabel and even possible financial incentives tied to postseason awards.
Farmer’s criticism spread quickly across social media over the weekend after he posted a clip from Russini’s February appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. The podcaster accused the longtime NFL reporter of misleading Allen before ultimately casting her vote elsewhere. With fans already divided over NFL media influence, the controversy added another layer to the league’s growing trust debate.
Tony Farmer questions Dianna Russini’s MVP voting comments about Josh Allen
Farmer did not hold back in his post on X.
“Cringe alert,” Farmer wrote in his tweet on X on Sunday. “Josh Allen had a $1.5 Million incentive in his contract and Dianna Russini lied to him and told him she’d vote for him for MVP. This is her admitting she lied to Josh on tape. Did Mike Vrabel earn an extra million $ for winning COTY? AP, release the ballots.”
The criticism centered on Russini’s own explanation of how she handled her MVP ballot. During the podcast, she revealed that she had conversations with Allen and Buffalo Bills personnel before finalizing her vote. She initially told them she planned to support Allen before later voting for Lamar Jackson instead.
“Did I tell you the story about that? So, yeah, you voted for Lamar,” Russini said. “I see Josh. I see (Buffalo general manager) Brandon Beane. I see all the Buffalo people before I cast my vote. I tell them I'm voting for Josh, right.”
The podcast host immediately pushed back, calling the move “dirty.” Russini then explained that she often seeks player opinions before locking in her final decision.
“Then, I vote,” Russini said. “And I was going through it, and I have a weird style of doing it. I call players. I asked them. Like, I tell them who I'm voting for, and then I get their reaction. And then I kind of collect all their thoughts, because in my opinion, the players know better than me who is the best player on the field when you're playing against them.”
Her explanation did little to calm critics online. Many fans argued that award voters should avoid discussing their decisions directly with players before ballots become official. Others questioned whether personal interactions could influence the process too heavily.
Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini controversy keeps NFL fans talking
The discussion became even louder because Josh Allen eventually won the MVP award by only four first-place votes over Lamar Jackson. Allen’s contract reportedly included a $1.5 million incentive tied to winning MVP, which made Farmer’s accusations even more explosive online.
Russini also admitted she regretted not voting differently after hearing player feedback about Saquon Barkley.
“Actually, the answer I got the most -- and I regret not voting it -- and he and I have had a conversation about this, and Max Hill appreciated it. Saquon Barkley. This was last year, the year they won the Super Bowl. Everyone was like -- so many players -- like, it's Saquon Barkley, but I did not vote for him. I voted for Lamar. So, then they revealed the votes and who we voted for. So, I just look like an a*s because I'm like, I obviously lied to Josh Allen.”
The host replied, “Yeah, you do look like an a**.”
Farmer also tied the debate to Mike Vrabel’s recent Coach of the Year win, questioning whether undisclosed ballots may have influenced bonus clauses there as well. While there is no proof Russini voted for Vrabel, the lack of public ballot transparency for the 2025 AP NFL awards has only fueled more speculation.
The controversy arrives during an already difficult stretch for Russini, whose name has remained in headlines following viral rumors involving Vrabel earlier this year. Even though both strongly denied those claims, public scrutiny around the pair has not slowed down.
Now, what may have once sounded like harmless podcast honesty has turned into one of the NFL offseason’s most talked-about media storms.
