12/30/25 12:23:00
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12/30 12:21 CST Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation
charges, denies allegations
Patriots star receiver Stefon Diggs faces strangulation charges, denies
allegations
By MICHAEL CASEY
Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) --- New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing
strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that
happened earlier this month, police said.
News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham,
Massachusetts. It is unclear what led to the charges, which include felony
strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
Diggs' lawyer, David Meier, said in an emailed statement that Diggs
"categorically denies these allegations."
Meier said the allegations never occurred, describing them as unsubstantiated
and uncorroborated.
"The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they
are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not
resolved to the employee's satisfaction," Meier wrote.
In a statement, the Patriots said they were also standing by Diggs: "We support
Stefon," the team said.
Diggs, 32, established himself as one of the NFL's best wide receivers during a
run with Minnesota and Buffalo from 2018 to 2023, when he had six consecutive
1,000-yard receiving seasons and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times.
After a lackluster stint in Houston last year, Diggs ended up in New England,
signing a three-year, $69 million deal in free agency that guaranteed him $26
million.
Diggs has proven a reliable target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and
is a big reason why the team has once again clinched the AFC East title as the
team heads toward the playoffs.
Off the field, though, his tenure with the Patriots got off to a rocky start
when a video surfaced on social media in May showing Diggs passing what
appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat.
It wasn't clear what the substance was, and an NFL spokesperson said the league
would not comment. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the team would handle that
matter internally.
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