Ex-Buffalo Bills star wide receiver and current New England Patriot, Stefon Diggs, is facing charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges, according to Boston 25 News. According to reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday, December 2.
The Patriots released a statement on the matter Tuesday morning, saying they support Diggs, who denies all allegations.
“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs. Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations,” the team said in a statement. “We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”
Diggs’ attorney, Michael DiStefano, told the Dedham District Court on Tuesday that Diggs made a financial offer to the alleged victim in the case to dissolve the dispute outside of court.
Currently, Diggs is scheduled to be arraigned on January 23, which is two days before the AFC Championship is scheduled to be played. Diggs and his legal team have requested to push back his arraignment to March, which the judge has agreed to consider.
What Stefon Diggs’ legal situation means for Buffalo Bills fans watching from afar
In his first season with the Patriots, Diggs has caught 82 passes for 970 yards and four touchdowns. He caught 13 passes for 172 yards against the Bills in two games this season. The Bills could face the Patriots in the postseason as early as the Wild Card round, though it would require either the Bills or Patriots to lose their Week 18 game. The Patriots close the regular season against the Miami Dolphins, winners in five of their last seven games, with the AFC East already in hand.
Of course, the Bills could very well see the Patriots beyond the first round, too, including the AFC Championship, depending on how the seeding for the AFC bracket falls after Week 18. Whether Diggs will be available in any regard could hinge on the court case in question.
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Interestingly, Diggs’ brother, Trevon, was waived by the Dallas Cowboys just hours after the news about Stefon broke on Tuesday. The Bills made a waiver claim in early December for veteran cornerback Darius Slay, but he chose not to report to the team for personal reasons. Trevon Diggs played six seasons for Dallas and had 11 interceptions in 2021.
Stefon Diggs, 32, last played for the Bills in 2023, spending four seasons with the franchise. He caught 445 passes for 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns with Buffalo, all career highs among the four teams he has suited up for. Diggs made the Pro Bowl in all four seasons with Buffalo and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2020, honors he has only received with the Bills to this point in his 11-year NFL career.