Stefon Diggs is finally headed to the Super Bowl-and he’s bringing a chip on his shoulder with him.
After 11 seasons in the NFL, the veteran wide receiver punched his first ticket to the big game on Sunday as the New England Patriots edged out the Denver Broncos 10-7 in a gritty AFC Championship win. For Diggs, this wasn’t just another playoff victory. It was personal.
“They were calling me washed,” Diggs told NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe after the game. “Saying I didn’t have it no more.
I just wanted to prove myself I am who I say I am. This team took a chance on me.
I just wanted to make them proud. I am just thankful, I'm thankful.”
That emotion? It's not just talk-it’s years of proving people wrong bottled up into one moment.
Diggs’ NFL journey has been anything but smooth. Drafted in the fifth round by the Minnesota Vikings back in 2015, he carved out a name for himself as one of the league’s most precise route runners and big-play threats. After five seasons in Minnesota-including the unforgettable “Minneapolis Miracle”-he was traded to Buffalo in 2020, where he became Josh Allen’s go-to weapon.
But even success has its complications.
In Buffalo, Diggs helped lead the Bills to the playoffs in all four of his seasons, but cracks began to show-especially as postseason frustrations mounted. The chemistry between Diggs and Allen, once one of the league’s most dynamic QB-WR duos, started to erode.
After a tough playoff loss to Kansas City in the 2023 Divisional Round, emotions boiled over. There were sideline arguments, questions about leadership, and whispers of discontent.
Allen, for his part, tried to clear the air after that game.
“Just thanking him for everything that he did for me, and (I'll) always have a spot in my heart for him,” Allen said. “I'll always love that guy like a brother.”
Still, the Bills made a business decision. Despite Diggs signing a four-year, $96 million extension in 2022, they shipped him off to the Houston Texans in April 2024. His time in Houston was short-lived-just one season, cut short by an ACL injury-but he still managed to rack up over 1,000 yards and four touchdowns.
That set the stage for the next chapter.
After a dismal 3-14 campaign in 2024, the Patriots hit the reset button. They brought in Mike Vrabel as head coach and made a bold move in March-signing Diggs to a three-year, $63.5 million deal.
The goal? Give young quarterback Drake Maye a proven weapon, a veteran presence, and a spark for an offense that needed one.
So far, that bet is paying off.
Diggs has been a steadying force for Maye all season, and after Sunday’s win, he didn’t hold back in praising the second-year signal caller.
“That’s a soldier, man,” Diggs said. “That’s a MVP.
That’s a guy that stands 10 toes, battles through adversity. He’s a hell of a player.
I’m riding with Drake Maye. I’m thankful to have a quarterback like him.”
Maye, still early in his NFL journey, has shown poise beyond his years-and having a receiver like Diggs in his corner has clearly made a difference. The two have developed a rhythm that’s been critical to New England’s postseason run.
Now, Diggs and the Patriots are one win away from the ultimate prize. It’s been a long road for the wideout-filled with highs, lows, and more than a few doubters-but he’s exactly where he wants to be: on the game’s biggest stage, with a chance to silence the noise once and for all.
Next stop: the Super Bowl.