Stefon Diggs came to the Patriots as the definition of an established receiver: until an injury sidelined him in 2024, he posted over 1,000-yard seasons every year dating back to 2018. He played for three different franchises, with a handful of different quarterbacks, and won All-Pro honors.
And yet, his comeback from that 2024 ACL tear, combined with his 31-year-old status, fueled speculation as to how he’d fit in with Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, and the new-look Patriots in 2025.
The answer? Like a glove.
His confidence and production, (he’s on track for another 1,000-yard season through Week 11), can be attributed to any number of factors, perhaps, most importantly, his own dedication to his injury recovery. But he also sounds like a man who’s inspired to look at the game through a fresh lens.
Here’s a bit of irony: that fresh perspective came via Todd Downing, the member of the Patriots staff who Diggs has known the longest. Downing and Diggs go back to Minnesota, where Diggs started his career, and Downing worked as an offensive assistant.
He and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have challenged the 11-year veteran to become a greater student of the offense.
“This year I’ve probably studied the most in terms of recognizing coverages and being able to try to see it before the play starts, kind of like, from a quarterback’s vision,” Diggs said. “Coach Todd has been in the quarterback rooms and called plays, so, he gave us a vantage point from that. I’ve never had that from a receivers coach before.”
Diggs called McDaniels “a little bit of a genius” and praised his ability to understand the flow of the game.
In an interview with the Thursday Night Football on Prime crew last week, Vrabel cited young quarterback Drake Maye as one of the main reasons he came to New England. When asked whether that was also the case for Diggs, he said it was the entire group that drew him to Foxboro.
“It was like, a conglomerate, I guess,” he said. “A young quarterback who showed some promise, showed some skill set. [He] could throw the ball, was mobile, being young. But then, also, [Josh] McDaniels. He’s been around the game a whole time. Homecoming for him, he’s called a lot of great plays here. And then, [Mike] Vrabel. It was a group effort, by everybody, for me, personally. I’ve played with a lot of young quarterbacks. So it wasn’t my first time, my first rodeo. It really was Vrabes, McDaniels, and then Todd [Downing] as well – my receivers coach, I had a little bit of history with him.”
“When I said conglomerate of people, he’s definitely one of the main people,” he elaborated, on Downing. “We had multiple conversations, especially when I first got here on my visit. And I trusted him. You know, I don’t trust many people. I believe him. He gave me face-value words. I appreciate his honesty. Same with Coach Vrabes. I appreciate straight shooters, and you can tell me the truth, no matter what it is. I rock with you, if it’s the truth. But, you try to pull the wool over my eyes, it gets a little dicey.”
“I think that speaks to the way Vrabes set up the entire offseason, going into training camp,” McDaniels said, in response to Diggs’ comments, Thursday. “It was about relationships and understanding people, and knowing what makes each one of us tick and why this is important to us – because it’s not the same for every one of us. As much as we wish it was, there’s different things that motivate and drive all of us.”
“It’s good to hear him say that and certainly the feeling is mutual. And I think that’s a cool thing, too.” He said. “As coach, you come in, you’re really driving to trust all of your guys. Because when you ask them to do difficult things during the course of a game, under pressure, in a critical situation, you have to trust in him. So, I’ve got a lot of faith in him, a lot of trust in him, as well.”