Former New England Patriots WR Stefon Diggs won his trial.
Former New England Patriots star Stefon Diggs was found not guilty on Tuesday of assaulting his private chef in a pay dispute.
Diggs, who pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge stemming from the alleged dispute, cried after the not guilty verdict was announced in court.
"We have been monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday.
Diggs had 85 catches for 1,013 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns last season. He helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl, where New England lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots released Diggs at the start of the 2026 league year. Diggs had an additional $6 million set to become fully guaranteed in March.
Diggs has played for the Minnesota Vikings, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Patriots. He has 942 catches for 11,504 receiving yards and 74 receiving touchdowns in the NFL. He has made four Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team.
It will be fascinating to see how if Diggs lands with a new team after winning his trial.
"We have taken these allegations seriously from day one and that's exactly why we were eager for the facts to come to light through the legal process," Mitch Schuster of Meister, Seelig & Schuster said in a statement. "... Professional athletes have a target on their back. When someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage; they see a settlement. And they're counting on that pressure in the court of public opinion to drive a default decision to settle regardless of the facts of the matter.
"The evidence has shown what we've maintained from day one: Mr. Diggs was wrongly accused, and this case represents exactly the kind of opportunistic targeting that players can face the moment they step off the field."
After releasing Diggs, the Patriots signed former Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs in free agency. Doubs put up 55 catches for 724 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns last season in Green Bay.
Doubs is a talented playmaker, but one NFL executive isn't impressed with the Patriots' decision to replace Diggs with Doubs, per The Athletic.
"I was not high on Doubs," the exec said, citing the receiver's inconsistent concentration. "They did not improve on the field from Diggs. Maybe they did off the field from a headache standpoint."
The Patriots are widely expected to trade for Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown in June. Brown played for New England head coach Mike Vrabel on the Tennessee Titans.
Patriots Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Patriots. Click the "Join" button at the top of the page to join our community for free.