The New England Patriots stayed in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the AFC with Sunday’s 28-24 Week 16 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
The Patriots fought back from a 24-13 deficit early in the fourth quarter, bookmarked by a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Drake Maye and a 21-yard rushing touchdown from running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
Maye kept his MVP candidacy alive with a 380-yard, two-touchdown performance, which was made possible by the play of wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
The All-Pro wideout caught nine passes for 138 yards — his fourth 100-yard game — but it’s what he did off the field that had people talking.
Diggs Could Face NFL Punishment for Sideline Antics
There was a point in the first quarter where Diggs was confined to the Patriots’ blue medical tent after seemingly injuring himself on a play.
Diggs was reportedly supposed to be evaluated for a concussion, though he was adamant he injured his shoulder and not his head.
He eventually checked back into the game, but NBC sideline reporter Melissa Starks stated during the “Sunday Night Football” broadcast that Diggs had “escaped out the back” of the tent before he was actually cleared to return.
While most can appreciate Diggs’ commitment to his team, it may end up costing him and the Patriots in the form of a hefty fine as Diggs’ Houdini-like exit violates NFL rules for player safety protocols.
The league can, and likely will, fine Diggs for conduct detrimental to the team. NFL rules state players are required to follow all medical protocols before being allowed to return to the field.
Earlier this season, the league fined the New York Giants $200,000, former head coach Brian Daboll $100,000, and running back Cam Skattebo $15,000 for violation of the same concussion protocol when they barged into the medical tent to pull rookie QB Jaxson Dart out.
Diggs Reveals What Happened In the Tent
GettyStefon Diggs of the New England Patriots
After the game, Diggs explained to reporters what happened while he was in the medical tent.
He was adamant he never hit his head and that he landed awkwardly on his shoulder, which is what he seemingly tried to get the trainers to evaluate.
“I was blacking out, bro,” Diggs told the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. “They were holding me in the tent. [The trainers] said I had a concussion, but they never touched my head, I never laid on the ground. They monitored me for a concussion. I said, ‘I never had a concussion., I was touching my shoulder.’ so how y’all say I had a concussion? I was fighting with them to get back out there.
“It was the first drive. I’m wired to get back out there to make plays for my team. We had a little stall, so I was like, ‘Damn, I’m supposed to be out there.’ I feel like I let the team down if I’m not out there. I apologized to them afterwards, but you can’t stop me from being out on the field.”
Despite Diggs maintaining his head was fine and it was his shoulder that needed evaluation, if trainers deems a player needs a concussion evaluation, they aren’t allowed to return until said evaluation is finished.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Patriots, Stefon Diggs Facing Serious NFL Punishment for Actions vs Ravens appeared first on Heavy Sports.