There are, of course, $69 million reasons why wide receiver Stefon Diggs chose to sign with the Patriots this offseason. In the end, the Patriots came in with an offer of three years, reported at $69 million, though only $22.6 million of that was guaranteed, and when you’re wondering why a free agent chooses to sign with a team, it’s a safe bet that money is the chief reason.
But Diggs, even as he creeps into his early 30s and even as he was coming off a torn ACL that ended his 2024 season, had options last offseason. He still chose to go to a team with a second-year quarterback (Drake Maye), that was coming off two seasons with a combined 8-26 record, an eye-opening choice for a 10-year veteran who had five Pro Bowls and six 1,000-yard seasons on his resume.
Stefon Diggs Had Reasons for Signing With Patriots
It’s worked out, probably better than even Diggs could have imagined. He is 10th in the NFL in receptions, with 59, and 17th with 659 yards. At Pro Football Focus, he is rated the No. 9 receiver in the NFL.
Going back to his decision to go to New England, Diggs said there were multiple reasons he was open to the Patriots. Diggs was also known to have drawn interest from the Broncos this offseason.
“It was a conglomerate, I guess,” Diggs said. “Young quarterback, showed some promise, showed some skillset, showed he can throw the ball, is mobile, is young. But also McDaniels, he has beena round the game a long time. Homecoming for him, he has called a lot of great plays here. And then Vrabel. It was a group effort for me.”
Patriots Had the Right Coaches
Current Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing helped, too. Diggs cited him as a guy whose opinion he values–Downing was the tight ends coach with the Vikings in 2019, and Diggs got to know him then when he was in Minnesota.
“We do have some connections going back to Minnesota,” said Diggs. “We had multiple conversations, especially when I got here on my visit. I trust him. I don’t trust many people. I believe him at face value, his words. I appreciate his honesty.”
It should be noted that the storybook match of Diggs and the Patriots very nearly did not happen–New England had its eye on several free-agent receivers, most notably Chris Godwin, who turned down a massive contract offer to return to Tampa Bay. But Diggs’ arrival has proven serendipitous for all.
Stefon Diggs ‘Taken Aback’ by Smooth Rehab
Also serendipitous: the way that Diggs has recovered from that torn ACL, suffered last October while he was playing for the Texans. The Patriots gambled that Diggs would be ready to go despite such a serious injury and recovery, and that gamble paid off.
Diggs knew he would be aggressive in his rehab, but even he has been pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it’s gone.
“I wasn’t necessarily surprised but I was moreso like, taken aback a couple times about how the injury—how the progression was happening pretty well for me,” Diggs said.
“I knew that I attacked it with the mindset of that and I was never scared. So I didn’t go in with a mindset of—I always said, the worst happened already. So let me just get after it as much as I can.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Stefon Diggs Reveals Reason He Signed With the Patriots appeared first on Heavy Sports.