The Patriots have informed wide receiver Stefon Diggs that they will release him at the start of the league year next week, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. Diggs took to Instagram to thank the Patriots on Wednesday.
It will be a one-and-done stint in New England for Diggs, who signed a three-year, $63.3MM deal with the team last spring. Diggs was then recovering from an October 2024 ACL tear that occurred during his lone year with the Texans. Also a former Viking and Bill, Diggs showed no ill effects from his injury last season.
Playing all 17 regular-season games, the four-time Pro Bowler ended up an integral part of a New England team that stunningly improved from 4-13 to 14-3 in 2025. The Patriots won the AFC East and advanced to Super Bowl LX, where they fell to the Seahawks, 29-13.
The 32-year-old Diggs was MVP candidate Drake Maye‘s favorite option throughout the season. Diggs easily led the Patriots in receptions (85), targets (102) and yards (1,013). He also grabbed four touchdowns.
Diggs was less productive during the Pats’ four-game postseason run, in which he averaged just 7.9 yards on 14 catches. His short Patriots tenure also included some unwanted off-field drama. A video of Diggs flashing an “unidentified pink substance” during a yacht party surfaced last May.
When asked about it, head coach Mike Vrabel said, “It’s something we’re aware of and obviously we want to make great decisions on and off the field.”
Diggs never received any punishment for that incident, and there was no further trouble for several months. However, that ended when a Dec. 2 incident involving Diggs came to light on Dec. 30. Diggs’ former personal chef told police he entered her unlocked bedroom during a financial dispute and “smacked her across the face.” She added that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”
Diggs pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on Feb. 13. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1. Depending on how the process plays out, Diggs could face disciplinary action from the league next season. That will hang over his head as he seeks another team in free agency.
The Patriots will no longer have to worry about a potential suspension for Diggs, though the loss of a seven-time 1,000-yard wideout will leave an obvious void in their receiving corps. Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown has come up as a potential trade target, but the Eagles’ asking price has been prohibitive to this point. In addition to Brown, the Diggs-less Patriots are sure to explore other possibilities this offseason.
The Pats already had upward of $39MM in cap space entering the day. Cutting Diggs will give them more money to pursue help at receiver and other positions. Once his release becomes official, the Patriots will add $16.8MM in spending room at the cost of $9.7MM in dead cap. They will also avoid paying $6MM in base salary that would have vested on March 13.
Excellent wide receiver. Shame about what kind of guy he is.
I think these guys live with a sense of no accountability until it suddenly bites them in the a$$. And then it’s too late..
Except it almost never bites them.
Seriously? It’s biting him on the a$$ right now.
None of us knows uf ANY of that is even true…judge not I say. I judge Mr. Diggs by the way he played for his teammates…our Patriots…and the way he wore his heart on his sleeve…tears in his eyes when he said there was no where he’d rather play…best coach he ever had. For that…I will miss him…SO glad I bought his jersey this year!
lol OK man. Plenty of former Diggs teammates would say less than great things about his character, but glad you enjoy your jersey.
Heresay is not the same as knowing what you’re talking about. That’s why it’s presumption of innocence not presumption of guilt. I’m only appreciating his actions and words while wearing a NE jersey.
He did a terrific job on the field.
What a waste of $150 lol
Thanxs Stef!
Thanks for the good season. Bet he comes back for cheaper
It kinda seems like they don’t want the distraction and potential (likely) looming suspension.
Best landing spots for Diggs(lol yall bare with me I can explain each team if you want):
Broncos
Chargers
Ravens
Cardinals
Titans
Bears
Raiders
Broncos yes
Chargers no – they bring back Allen if anything and already have McConkey Johnston Harris
Ravens yes
Cardinals no Diggs probably rings chase at this point
Titans same as cardinals
Bears yes
Raiders same as Titans Cardinals
Other teams
Steelers to pair with Metcalf
Eagles if they trade Brown
KC if he’s willing to take less money
SF needs as much WR help as they can get
Texans reunion
Bills reunion with new HC
Saints in a winnable division
Long shot but Bucs if Evans leaves
Why bears? Bc lose Moore depends on price
Cause Caleb Williams completing 58% of his passes is unacceptable. And Diggs has caught 80 or more balls 7 times since 2016
2024 he tore his acl after 8 games still caught 47 passes
He’s more consistent than Moore and Odunze and would open things up more for everyone in addition to giving Williams an easy target to complete passes to
Bears makes sense if dj Moore trade talks pick up
Bears? Big fat NO.
You left out jail as a possible destination.
An NFL player actually seeing jail time instead of community service and 30 days house arrest? In this economy?
I mean it sure seems like Pearce is likely to see time, but he went with the felony parlay.
Henry Ruggs says hello.
This is exactly what I mean about what a shallow bandwagon-riding judgemental twit certain people can be.
With you, it’s either record-breaking extensions or jail time. Fortunately that’s not how the world works
God you have a weird fixation on me. I joked that jail was a possible destination for someone who just got cut while facing felony charges–and two weeks ago at that. I don’t know why you like my comments more than just about anyone on here, but then every few weeks you come at me in unhinged ways in response to things you only imagine I said. I don’t know what your malfunction is, but leave me out of whatever it is.
You instantly equate allegations with convictions. If you weren’t there, you don’t have any idea at all what kind of game this “personal cook” was playing with Diggs. Is there blackmail in play, is it extortion? Just as you jump on every set of allegations.
Your world outlook is unrelentingly mercantile, hypocritical and self-righteous.
No wonder you find it unpleasant to have your views under the spotlight. The self-righteousness is particularly distasteful.
I referred to jail as being a “possible” result of felony charges that carry a penalty of up to five years in prison. I’m not the one who charged the man. You’re projecting a lot onto me here. And I’m not having my views under the spotlight. I have an aggrieved weirdo fixated on me.
Again, you have this unhinged intensity about me every few weeks and whatever’s going on in your world to make you act like this is not me.
Guy, you’ve posted the same kind of self-righteous tripe again and again for four years now. Your behaviour is bi-polar.
According to you:
either the latest NFL star deserves to set a new benchmark in salary immediately or he should already be in jail based on allegations.
You have no idea what is behind these stories, you have no idea what it’s like to be a prominent millionaire (long term lower middle management by your sanctimonious petty tone).
When will you cease and desist with your defamation antics?
Again, a lot of projection here. If you’re going to argue with a version of me you imagine saying things I haven’t actually said, then argue in your own head instead of involving me. You’re always doing this and coming after my character in way over the top ways. Then you accuse me of being bipolar. Hilarious projection. Go take some deep breaths or read a few pages of a book or reach out to a friend. Flinging nonsense at me because of a two week old comment that doesn’t even say what you’re claiming it does is weird.
Also I’m in Europe for a few days, so it’s afternoon where I am. Weird to see how angry you are so early in the day.
What you said is here in black and white. Must be tough to be held accountable for what you say for a change…
Persistently defaming people anonymously. Takes a lot of courage.
“Persistently defaming people?” Buddy, I joked that a guy facing felony charges has jail as a possible destination. It’s literally just a fact.
And I don’t consider it being “held accountable” to have a random aggrieved internet stranger melt down at me every few weeks, usually over things I didn’t even say. Truly, try to examine your own behavior and leave me out of whatever episode you’re having.
Black and white. What an unusual idea to be held accountable for the things you say, eh?
Do you think a man charged with a felony has no chance of going to jail? Seriously man. Get help. Either with literacy or your psyche.
Calm down, man. Stop playing judge and jury, on what may spurious charges. Stop defaming people as criminals without a legal judgement.
I literally didn’t do that. Nowhere did I do that. Certainly not in the comment you jumped on two weeks after I made it to call me a twit. I referred to “jail as a possible destination.” I don’t care what you want to project onto that or why.
If you want someone to calm down, I would suggest you talk to the guy in the mirror who comes at me with bizarrely intense hostility every few weeks demanding I be “held accountable” for things I didn’t even say. Mute me. I don’t care. It would be great if you just stopped responding to me, starting now.
Niners should be on that list. They need FA at WR. Not sure about the schematics.
After Aiyuk behavior…no chance they take Diggs .
Bears ? No thanks
But Bears would be happy to trade DJ Moore to Patriots.
From Pink powder, to hitting pink panther to pink slip … Are they in play for Brown?
I see what you did there.
He may have not hit his female “chef”? Who knows?
Nobody wants to pay 1st + 2nd round toll for top of the market wide receiver when one has a good chance of getting the same play out of a WR for five years on a rookie contract.
George Pickens on line one
I could be wrong, but I suggest that no one will sign Diggs and his career is over.
would you rather have your team take a chance on hill or diggs ? ?
The difference is Hill is a proven woman beater who pled guilty once and has been accused multiple times since by multiple women.
Perhaps we could just wait for Henry Ruggs to get paroled 🙂
Y’all haven’t noticed Diggs is getting cut after Cardi B threw him over the side.
Is that true? What’s the relationship to his termination?