In a game that felt more like a survival test than a football contest, the New England Patriots muscled their way past the Denver Broncos, 10-7, to punch their ticket to Super Bowl 60. With snow swirling and temperatures dipping deep into the discomfort zone, the Patriots leaned on grit, discipline, and a quarterback who looked more like a snowmobile than a rookie.
Drake Maye, the young signal-caller tasked with steering New England’s offense through the blizzard, didn’t light up the stat sheet with his arm - but his legs did the talking. Maye racked up 65 rushing yards and scored the game’s only touchdown, showing poise and precision in conditions that made footing a luxury. His ability to navigate the slick field was the difference-maker in a game where every yard felt earned.
The defining moment came on a third-quarter drive that was less about flash and more about force. Sixteen plays, nearly ten minutes off the clock, and capped by a 23-yard field goal from Andy Borregales - a kick that cut through the snow and the tension to give the Patriots the winning edge. That drive didn’t just put points on the board; it drained the life out of a Broncos offense that never found its rhythm in the cold.
And while the box score won’t scream Stefon Diggs - five catches for just 17 yards - the bigger picture tells a different story. This win marks the first Super Bowl appearance of Diggs’ career, a long-awaited breakthrough after previous heartbreaks in Minnesota and Buffalo. It’s a moment that’s been years in the making, and one that clearly meant everything to him - and to those closest to him.
Watching from the owner’s suite was Grammy-winning artist Cardi B, Diggs’ partner and one of the most animated Patriots fans in the building. Her reaction to the win was raw and heartfelt, a mix of joy and pride as she celebrated a milestone that’s been a long time coming. In a postgame interview with NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, Cardi B opened up about what the journey has meant - not just for Diggs, but for her as someone who’s been by his side through the highs and lows.
"I'm feeling very excited, I'm very happy for him, very proud of him,” she said. “He just came back from an ACL, and me seeing the progress and the process of him going through there, from the first time he started running back."
That recovery - from a serious knee injury to the biggest stage in football - didn’t happen by accident. Cardi B pointed to Diggs’ relentless discipline as the fuel behind the comeback.
"Discipline. Discipline and work,” she said.
“It's not like, oh, you wake up and you great. It's... it's discipline.
It's going to bed early. It's waking up early.
It's not missing one day of work, nothing. It's discipline.
Simple... hard discipline."
That kind of mindset has defined Diggs’ 2025 season. After parting ways with the Houston Texans, he signed a three-year deal with New England in March. Now, less than a year later, that bet on himself has paid off - with a trip to the Super Bowl and a chance to finally finish the job.
Cardi B, who confirmed the relationship last June and gave birth to their son in November, has become a fixture at Patriots games. She’s leaned into her role as a football fan with the same energy she brings to her music - rocking Pats gear and even green hair in Denver. According to Wolfe, Diggs has helped her embrace the sport, and she’s now proudly part of the Patriots faithful.
Next up: a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60. The Seahawks locked up the NFC crown earlier in the day, setting the stage for a clash between two franchises with very different recent histories - and two quarterbacks at opposite ends of the experience spectrum.
For Diggs, though, this moment is about more than the opponent. It’s about the journey.
The setbacks. The surgeries.
The near-misses. And now, finally, the chance to play for the Lombardi Trophy.
He was emotional after the win, and understandably so. But his message was clear: the job’s not done.
The snow may have fallen hard in Denver, but the Patriots stood even harder. And with a rookie quarterback leading the charge, a veteran wideout chasing redemption, and a fanbase that includes one of music’s biggest stars, New England is headed back to the Super Bowl - chasing ring number seven.