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Nearly a year after ACL injury, Stefon Diggs is looking like a star receiver once again
"I’m going to do my job. My job is try to be open."
FOXBOROUGH — It’s been less than a year since Stefon Diggs — then with the Houston Texans — hit the turf at NRG Stadium while grabbing his knee.
A torn ACL ended Diggs’ 2024 season, with the 31-year-old wideout staring at a long road to recovery just before hitting the open market as a free agent.
A Patriots team in desperate need of established pass-catchers brushed aside concerns over Diggs’ age and injury — handing him a three-year, $63.5 million contract in March.
And so far, the former All-Pro has been well worth that investment.
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Diggs has looked no worse for wear since getting the green light for snaps at the start of the 2025 season, reeling in 39 catches for 456 yards across seven games so far with New England.
It hasn’t taken long for Diggs to assert himself as Drake Maye’s top target, with the veteran currently ranking 10th in the league in total catches.
For all of the discourse regarding Diggs’ viability of being a No. 1 receiver at this stage of his career, he’s on pace for 95 catches and 1,107 receiving yards in his first season in Foxborough.
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While Diggs stressed on Wednesday that he’s felt no ill-effects from his surgically-repaired knee, he also wasn’t dwelling on whatever accomplishments he’s achieved so far this year.
Instead, he opted to harp on the collective strides made by a New England receiver corps that has elevated its collective play amid Maye’s ascension as a top NFL quarterback.
“I’ve been productive on third down. I’ve been productive on first and second down. We’ve got a lot of guys who are making a lot of plays,” Diggs said. “The moment they put a little bit of attention on me, you see Pop Douglas, you see Kayshon Boutte, you see Mack Hollins… I don’t think about it too much.
“When it’s my time to get someone else open or the route concept calls for me to get someone open, I’m going to do my job. My job is try to be open. When I am open, try to catch the ball. I’m not open, hopefully someone else is.”
While Diggs was brought in to serve as a dependable receiving target for Maye, he’s already establishing himself as a vocal leader in a young Patriots locker room.
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Diggs’ resume speaks for itself when it comes to his extended track record of torching opposing secondaries.
But the four-time Pro Bowler holds just as much pride for his off-the-field leadership as his impact out on the gridiron.
“I was brought here to do that,” Diggs said of stepping up as a leader. I’m one of the older receivers in the room, me and Mack (Hollins) try our best to do what we can with having that experience and proving what wisdom we have to the young players. They’re [good] players. Those guys can make plays.
They’ve got it all figured out, and I feel like we’re just a small piece of the puzzle with their success and keeping them in the right mindset. We want to see guys come alive. We want to see guys have a lot of success. As far as being a leader, it’s part of the job. At this point in my career, I expect that from myself.”
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