New England Patriots
“New team, new situation, new coaches, new teammates. It all happened exactly how it was supposed to.”
For all of the accolades that Stefon Diggs has accomplished on the gridiron, one of the more enduring visuals of his standout career came on January 24, 2021.
The orchestrator of the famed “Minneapolis Miracle” with the Vikings and a proven All-Pro receiver during his time in Buffalo, Diggs’ credentials have been undercut by the lack of a Lombardi Trophy to cement his legacy as one of his generation’s top wideouts.
The closest he came to a title came in on that chilly night at Arrowhead Stadium in 2021 when Diggs and the Buffalo Bills came up short to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
While his Buffalo teammates retreated to the visiting locker room as the Chiefs celebrated their latest berth to the Super Bowl, Diggs remained on the field to take in Kansas City’s celebrations.
Five years later, plenty has changed for Diggs.
As the snow fell at Empower Field at Mile High, the 32-year-old wideout struggled to hold back his tears as he celebrated with his teammates.
For the first time in his 11-year career, Diggs is going to the Super Bowl.
“I’m just so proud of this team,” Diggs said in an NFL Network interview with Cameron Wolfe. “You don’t know how hard this year has been, battling the injury and coming back. Being around the right group of guys. Great quarterback. Great OC. Great team. Great head coach. It made it all worth it, all the hard work. We’ve got one more. I just want to rejoice and take this moment in and just be thankful for God.”
Diggs then paused as tears welled up in his eyes.
This [expletive] is hard, man,” Diggs said after New England’s 10-7 win over the Broncos in the AFC title game, adding: “They were calling me washed. Saying I ain’t have it no more. I just wanted to prove it to myself that I am who I say I am… this team took a chance on me. I just wanted to make them proud.”
For all of the talk of how much gas Diggs had left in the tank after tearing his ACL last season with Houston, the veteran has been a key contributor in New England’s run to a Super Bowl appearance.
He was the first Patriots play to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season since Julian Edelman in 2019, reeling in 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns during regular-season play.
In three playoff games, Diggs has snagged 11 catches for 73 yards and a touchdown. He recorded five catches on six targets for 17 yards on Sunday against Denver.
As the Patriots’ offense looks to get back on track at Levi’s Stadium, a big game from Diggs will be needed for Drake Maye and Co. to get humming on the big stage.
For Diggs, it’s an opportunity that has been a long-time coming.
“I fought long and hard, man,” Diggs reflected postgame as he fielded questions from the media. “It means the world to me. I’ve been playing this game since I was five years old. Always wanted to be a champion. Always wanted to be a Super Bowl champion. And the opportunity was right there in front of us. We was one game away, and we had it. We had to get through Denver. … So for me, man, I’ve been in the league 11 years now, just I fell short so many times.
“I can’t say nothing but perfect timing, as of right now. I was coming off an ACL injury. I’m saying — new team, new situation, new coaches, new teammates. It all happened exactly how it was supposed to. So I’m just appreciative, and I thank God.”
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