標籤: Stefon

Stefon Diggs hit NFL free agency this offseason before settling his off-field issues, resulting in quiet months with minimal interest. Now that he’s been acquitted, it won’t be long before he finds a new home.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer addressed Diggs’ situation last week, naming the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons as possible landing spots.

Commanders and Chiefs are known in the market for their pass-catching help. While Washington hopes both Terry McLaurin and Luke McCaffrey stay healthy in 2026, its only significant contributor in the receiving room was third-round pick Antonio Williams.

As far as Kansas City is concerned, they are looking for more depth behind Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. Given that Thornton was only used as a deep threat last year and Worthy hasn’t lived up to expectations of being a first-round pick, Diggs may have a chance to become the No. 2 receiver in Kansas City next season.

Breyer believes whichever team signs him, it will likely be a one-year contract in the range of $10 million for the upcoming season. While the cap hit on a one-year deal would be less than $10 million, this ballpark figure would make Diggs approximately the 38th highest-paid receiver in the NFL.

The oddest fit of the above teams would seem to be the Rams. Los Angeles already has two established wide receivers in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, who attracted 46.9 percent of Matthew Stafford’s pass attempts in 2025. The Rams may not be able to give Diggs the role he wants.

Diggs may wait until closer to NFL training camp to ultimately sign, but his production last year demonstrated he is still a starting-caliber player. Our guess is he’ll sign with either the Chiefs or Commanders.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Stefon Diggs is still looking for a home ahead of the 2026-27 NFL season. After being released from the New England Patriots, Diggs hopes to land with a team capable of winning a Super Bowl next season. With the 2026 NFL Draft looming in the past, one ESPN writer has labeled him the “best” fit for the 32-year-old wide receiver.

As ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote, the Los Angeles Rams are the “best” fit for Diggs in the upcoming 2026-27 NFL season. Diggs will be next to Puka Nakua and Davante Adams, giving the Rams an excellent wide receiver trio for starting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

However, why would Los Angeles be the best landing spot for Diggs?

Why would the Los Angeles Rams be a good fit for Stefon Diggs?

There are several reasons why the Rams would be a good fit for Diggs. In Los Angeles, the former Patriots wide receiver will work inside or outside, providing versatility to the organization. More importantly, Diggs won’t have to fill the wide receiver room like he did in New England.

Diggs will be lined up next to Necua and Adams, meaning he won’t get as much attention. This will be good for Stafford, as Diggs can spread out and operate in the middle of the field. There will be less pressure on the 32-year-old wide receiver as he looks to return to the Super Bowl. This is another reason why this will work.

Diggs is nearing the end of his NFL career, and Los Angeles is one of the favorites to win the 2027 Super Bowl. The Rams are considered a strong offensive team, but they worked on their defense during the 2026 NFL offseason. If Diggs joins the offense, it will become even more powerful.

Diggs’ days as an elite WR1 are over, but he can serve as a WR2. In Los Angeles, he will certainly be the best WR3 in the NFL. The Rams don’t need Diggs to compete for a Super Bowl, but adding him would boost their chances even more.

Los Angeles and Diggs seem like a perfect match, and it should be something both sides explore soon.

READ MORE: NFL Insider gives big update on AJ Brown trade to New England Patriots

Austin Konensky is a writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and more. His work may also…More about Austin Konensky

When Stefon Diggs became a free agent in March, his circumstances were a little different from his fellow athletes hitting the open market. For one, the 32-year-old has been dealing with legal issues that may have impacted his availability for the 2026-27 NFL season.

However, now that Diggs was cleared of those charges on May 4, the market for the four-time Pro Bowl receiver is expected to skyrocket. Since he is extremely competitive, we expect Diggs to prefer the chance to land with a playoff contender. Below, we evaluate the four best and most likely landing spots for the former All-Pro.

RELATED: 2026 NFL QB rankings: From the NFL’s worst starting QBs to the best

buffalo bill

How about a reunion? We would argue that the Bills still haven’t got their MVP QB enough help at the receiver position. DJ Moore may not be the solution, but we could see it working while adding Stefon Diggs to help take attention away from each other. Diggs already knows the offense, and he already has chemistry with Josh Allen. It makes a lot more sense not to work.

new England Patriots

The Patriots may have been concerned about the potential PR hit and potential future suspension of Diggs when deciding to release Diggs from their roster in March. Now that the NFL Draft has come and gone, the Patriots haven’t added anyone in free agency except Romeo Dobbs, so the Patriots should welcome Diggs with open arms and really try to win a Super Bowl this time.

kansas city chiefs

Who wouldn’t want to team up with Patrick Mahomes? Diggs is still chasing his first Super Bowl ring, and Kansas City has always been confident in his ability to reach the big game. Who knows? Maybe with Diggs, they could quickly get back to the top of the mountain.

Washington Commanders

Diggs is a DC native, which has led to frequent rumors that he would like to play for the Washington Commanders. When it came time to choose a college, he decided to stay close to home and play for Maryland. Now he’s been given the chance to choose his next destination, why not consider the opportunity to become a hometown hero?

RELATED: 2026 NFL Power Rankings: Evaluating the worst, best teams after the NFL Draft

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The New England Patriots no longer have Stefon Diggs on the roster. The Patriots officially released Diggs at the start of the NFL’s new league year, the team announced. The 32-year-old wide receiver was cut due to financial reasons. However, could Diggs make a surprise return to the Patriots for the 2026-27 NFL season?

New England has not ruled out re-signing Diggs for the upcoming NFL season, according to Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. This is a shocking development, as the Patriots have signed Romeo Doubs to a long-term contract and continue to pursue Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the team, so that’s not to say anything is final at any spot on the roster,” Wolf said. “And we want [Stefon Diggs] Best. He was a tremendous player for us throughout the season. I feel like wherever he goes next – if it’s somewhere else, if he comes back here – he’s going to have a tremendous season.

The Patriots clearly have Diggs in mind, as a potential return would be popular with fans and players. The 32-year-old wide receiver was one of the leaders in the locker room and became the voice of the pre-game huddle. Diggs’ connection with Drake Mays was a vital part of New England’s offense.

Diggs caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns during the 2025–26 NFL regular season. The 32-year-old wide receiver’s production dropped during the NFL playoffs; However, this was partially due to the poor play of the offensive line. This troubled Mayes and affected his play during the NFL playoffs.

The Patriots will continue to pursue Brown, but if a deal is not completed, they may turn their attention to Diggs.

Read More: 5 Best Stefon Diggs Landing Spots After New England Patriots Release

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

The New England Patriots are looking for an elite wide receiver during the 2026 NFL offseason. On Wednesday before NFL free agency, the Patriots released Stefon Diggs due to his contract, freeing up the wide receiver room. However, according to Jordan Schultz’s report, New England is set to spend big at wide receiver this offseason.

Below, we consider the five best wide receiver targets for the Patriots after releasing Diggs!

AJ Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown is the top option for the Patriots; However, the asking price is very high. A potential trade for Brown would depend on whether New England is willing to trade a first-round pick and more. The superstar wide receiver would be a big addition, but compensation will be the major determining factor.

Alec Pierce, free agent

Alec Pierce is the top wide receiver available in the NFL free agency class this offseason. Pierce is estimated to make approximately $30 million per season on his next contract and that includes New England. 26-year-old wide receiver Drake will thrive with Meyer’s deep ball abilities, and earn the money he deserves.

Mike Evans, free agent

Mike Evans may not be in his prime anymore, but would be a great addition for the Patriots. If Evans stays healthy, he’s a 1,000-yard wide receiver and has the potential to do even more with Mays. The star wide receiver likely won’t earn a long-term contract, but it would greatly improve the Patriots’ wide receiver room in the short-term future.

Wandell Robinson, free agent

Wan’Dale Robinson would be an excellent pickup for the Patriots. The organization is in need of an upgrade at slot wide receiver, and Robinson is the top option in free agency. The 25-year-old wide receiver is a 1,000-yard wide receiver, and would be a great chain mover with Mays at quarterback.

Romeo Dobbs, free agent

Romeo Dobbs is another free agent wide receiver who will improve New England’s wide receiver room. Dobbs has spent his entire career with the Green Bay Packers, where the team does not prioritize a wide receiver. The 25-year-old will have a big role in New England, and if he stays healthy, he could be Mays’ top target.

Read More: 5 Best Stefon Diggs Landing Spots After New England Patriots Release

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

When Stefon Diggs signed with the New England Patriots last season, it came as a shock. Especially because they signed the then-31-year-old player to a three-year, $65 million contract despite coming back from an ACL injury.

However, the deal proved to be a fair compromise for both parties. The Patriots not only reached the playoffs, but also reached the Super Bowl with his help. Although Diggs faces a $26.5 million cap hit for 2026, his return to New England for another season wasn’t always possible at that rate.

On Wednesday, the Patriots revealed they are set to release Diggs at the start of the new league year next week. The one-time All-Pro is coming off a year where he recorded his seventh 1,000-yard season and will certainly face a strong market again.

Below, we evaluate some of the strongest landing spots for the four-time Pro Bowl receiver.

RELATED: Buffalo Bills may be ready to move on from Pro Bowl player

san francisco 49ers

The 49ers are moving on from Brandon Aiyuk. Jauan Jennings is also set for free agency. In the meantime, he could be an ideal fit for Diggs, who has proven capable of making plays all over the field from multiple receiver spots. It will be a dream for Kyle Shanahan to plan plays as George Kittle turns 30.

los angeles chargers

Veteran receiver Keenan Allen is a free agent again. While the Chargers could bring him back after finishing second on the team in receiving yards, LA has a chance to upgrade at the position by signing Diggs. Diggs is a year younger, and has been more productive recently despite recovering from a serious injury. We can see Diggs appreciating the opportunity to play for a contender in such beautiful weather.

Washington Commanders

Diggs grew up in Maryland and played college ball there. With the Commanders boasting some of the most salary cap space in the NFL, it’s possible they’ll also pursue Stephon’s brother, Trayvon, to play cornerback. A homecoming for the Diggs brothers could be exactly what the siblings are planning this offseason.

kansas city chiefs

There have been rumors that Diggs has been trying to hook up with Patrick Mahomes for several seasons. That wasn’t the case last year when he was coming off a torn ACL. Still, with the Chiefs looking for another playmaker this offseason, we can’t help but wonder if he’ll end up in Kansas City this time.

RELATED: 5 potential Kyler Murray free agency landing spots after Cardinals release

buffalo bill

The Bills have made a coaching change. Now that they have an offensive-minded leader, we wonder if Diggs will see the Bills as a more team-friendly landing spot. Plus, he may be looking for a chance to rekindle his strong relationship with reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen. Both athletes performing with a chip on their shoulders could lead to a magical season.

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

新英格蘭愛國者隊即將前往第十屆超級碗，雖然場上的比賽很冷淡，但場外的戲劇卻以最搞笑的方式升溫。

在最近一集中的 Bussin' With The Boys 節目中，愛國者隊主教練邁克·弗拉貝爾 (Mike Vrabel) 談到了球隊的明星接球手史蒂芬·迪格斯 (Stefon Diggs)，以及他與說唱偶像卡迪·B (Cardi B) 的高調關係。如果你認為弗拉貝爾只顧著做生意，唱著《No Days Off》，那麼他對這位“WAP”歌手的看法可能會讓你大吃一驚。

弗拉貝爾對卡迪·B 出現在亞足聯錦標賽對陣丹佛野馬隊的比賽中大笑。在這場以殘酷的科羅拉多暴風雪為背景的比賽中，這位說唱歌手顯然把自己的光芒帶到了場邊。

“我認為她絕對歇斯底里，”弗拉貝爾說。 “丹佛比賽結束後我看到了她——不能錯過她——她有一頭檸檬綠的頭髮。這是雪地裡唯一突出的東西。”

#愛國者隊 HC Mike Vrabel 談及他與 Cardi B 的關係：

“我認為她絕對是歇斯底里的。但是，我很少見到她。我在丹佛比賽后看到了她——不能錯過她——她有一頭檸檬綠的頭髮。這是雪地裡唯一突出的東西。但是這些東西…… pic.twitter.com/b5urNi9Xge

— 卡洛斯·A·洛佩茲 (@LosTalksPats) 2026 年 2 月 4 日

這位教練甚至承認自己很喜歡她的個性，特別是她在社交媒體上的滑稽動作。 “她有時會說這樣的話，‘今晚乘坐達美航空帶他們去圖盧姆。’我覺得這個女孩很搞笑。”

雖然這段關係帶來了一些喜劇效果，但迪格斯卻一直在球場上忙碌著。在大雪中以 10-7 擊敗野​​馬隊的比賽中，看台上找場地比找乾燥的座位還難。在這場防守大戰中，迪格斯完成了 5 次接球推進 17 碼，但他的出現為德雷克·梅耶 (Drake Maye) 衝球 65 碼開闢了道路，也是球隊唯一的達陣。

本賽季，迪格斯一直是新英格蘭愛國者隊傳球進攻的發動機，共完成 85 次接球，推進 1,013 碼，並取得 4 次達陣。他經驗豐富的領導力幫助年輕球員與西雅圖海鷹隊爭奪隆巴迪杯。

至於關係？弗拉貝爾並沒有因此而失眠。 “無論他們做什麼——他們看起來都玩得很開心，很享受這件事，”弗拉貝爾補充道。 “我確信這週我會見到她。”

由於愛國者隊距歷史僅一場胜利，球迷們可以期待更多檸檬綠的頭髮，並希望在聖克拉拉能有更多的達陣。

斯蒂芬·迪格斯和尼克·埃曼沃里分別是超級碗排名第八和第十二的球員。但新英格蘭愛國者隊的外接手和西雅圖海鷹隊的安全衛擁有另一個冠軍頭銜。

他們將在周日之前進行一場本場比賽中最好的一場比賽。

庫珀·庫普 (Cooper Kupp) 對陣卡爾頓·戴維斯 (Carlton Davis) 是一場引人注目的戰鬥。但這是一場 WR 與角衛的對抗，將在李維斯體育場內進行。

由於這些原因，迪格斯/埃曼沃里是安全對決中的頂級WR。

斯蒂芬·迪格斯可以測試海鷹隊、尼克·埃曼沃里的區域覆蓋範圍

迪格斯成為常年職業保齡球手並非偶然，他通過暴露區域覆蓋贏得了多次出場機會。

他的進攻協調員喬什·麥克丹尼爾斯（Josh McDaniels）將他大部分時間釋放到了空檔上。這種戰術迫使安全衛或線衛來掩護迪格斯——這對WR來說是一個不匹配的選擇。

新英格蘭愛國者隊外接手史蒂芬·迪格斯喜歡參加大型比賽。 #NEPats

第 60 屆超級碗是他職業生涯中最重要的一場比賽。期待迪格斯在明亮的燈光下打球。pic.twitter.com/U7mK2dkgBo

— 愛國者隊領袖 (@Patriots_Lead) 2026 年 2 月 2 日

他在季后賽中表現相當安靜。但這是因為主教練邁克·弗拉貝爾（Mike Vrabel）轉向以跑動優先的方式來突破防守，同時讓他的防守負責剩下的事情。

最好相信迪格斯在這裡會變得更加無情，因為他已經贏得了他的第一次重大比賽出場機會。他的目標是測試這位明星新秀的安全性。

尼克·埃曼沃里（Nick Emmanwori）有能力擾亂愛國者隊和迪格斯

近兩週前，2025 年選秀的第二輪選秀權擊敗了普卡·納庫亞 (Puka Nacua) 和達萬特·亞當斯 (Davante Adams)。

然而，洛杉磯公羊隊的二人組卻目睹了埃曼沃里的三次傳球被破壞。

大多數新秀面對像納庫亞/亞當斯這樣的多產組合都會睜大眼睛。或者一般的任何動態寬接收器二人組。但很明顯，庫普和賈克森·史密斯·恩吉巴的出現讓這位前南卡羅來納州雄鬥雞變得更加敏銳。

埃曼沃里在訓練中面對海鷹隊的搭檔，這顯然意味著周日的精彩報導。他的出現說服了主教練邁克·麥克唐納（Mike Macdonald）派出五名防守後衛，而車在混戰線附近進行干擾。

尼克·艾曼沃里 (Nick Emmanwori) 的獨特特質 pic.twitter.com/hjTpEc0GSv

— 特德·阮 (@FB_FilmAnalysis) 2026 年 1 月 6 日

面對迪格斯和愛國者隊的外接手，埃曼沃里是否需要大量幫助值得懷疑。他是前巴爾的摩烏鴉隊防守協調員的“凱爾·漢密爾頓”，展現了自己的位置靈活性。

但自從 11 月 9 日對陣亞利桑那隊的比賽中讓出 98 碼距離後，埃曼沃里提高了他的防守耐心。從那以後，他的傳球距離就沒有超過 55 碼——包括在季后賽勝利中總共傳出 27 碼。

這裡面誰佔優勢？

兩者都具有多才多藝的特點，並且都是各自球隊的重要棋子。

但迪格斯需要愛國者隊的地面進攻首先打開局面。這樣麥克丹尼爾斯就可以在稍後與迪格斯一起進攻時測試埃曼沃里的眼睛。

此外，埃曼沃里由於跑動支持不一致而落選。他經常給阻擋者讓出太多的陣地，或者錯誤地追擊角度。

然而，如果前線立即消滅掉對手，西雅圖隊就會扭轉優勢。這位身高 6 英尺 3 的後衛不需要成為這裡的第一道防線，因為德馬庫斯·勞倫斯、倫納德·威廉姆斯和拜倫·墨菲都會衝破防線。

心存疑慮的艾曼沃里會被迪格斯嚇倒。老將WR將在他期待已久的SB之旅中將他的比賽水平再提高一個檔次。但海鷹隊的頂級新秀也會如此，因為他將在季后賽中炙手可熱的表現帶到聖克拉拉。

史蒂芬·迪格斯終於要進軍超級碗了。

這位經驗豐富的外接手不得不等待時機，但在 NFL 為四支不同球隊效力 11 年後，這位 32 歲的球員獲得文斯·隆巴迪獎杯的機會終於來了。

5

而且，它還擁有 NFL 歷史上最成功的球隊之一——新英格蘭愛國者隊。

在一英里高城的一場雪天比賽中，德雷克·梅耶、迪格斯和他的搭檔以 10-7 的比分戰勝了頭號种子丹佛野馬隊，並獲得了至關重要的亞足聯冠軍頭銜，從而獲得了進入 LX 超級碗的門票。

格萊美獎得主說唱歌手女友卡迪·B (Cardi B) 出席了現場，觀看迪格斯實現贏得戒指夢想的下一步，並於 11 月與迪格斯一起迎來了孩子的誕生。

在愛國者隊獲勝後，卡迪·B 透露她將參加在加利福尼亞州聖克拉拉舉行的超級碗比賽，並接受了 NFL Network 的卡梅倫·沃爾夫的採訪，談論了她的搭檔所取得的巨大成就。

“我感到非常興奮。我為他感到非常高興，為他感到驕傲，”卡迪·B 告訴沃爾夫。

“他剛從 [torn] ACL我們也看到了他的進步和過程——他第一次開始的時候 跑步 回來了，現在加入了愛國者隊，並且實際上進入了超級碗。

“我為他感到非常興奮，為整個團隊感到非常興奮。他們一直在努力工作。

2024 年效力休斯敦德州人隊時，迪格斯在第 8 周遭遇了前交叉韌帶撕裂，但經過休賽期的一些嚴重康復治療，包括一次不尋常的私人訓練後，這位外接手可以開始 2026 年的賽季。

當她的男人和新英格蘭愛國者隊決定支持休斯敦德州人隊時，卡迪·B 支持他們。

1 月 19 日星期日，愛國者隊在吉列體育場主場迎戰休斯頓德州人隊，比賽開始前，ESPN 轉播商在愛國者隊和德州人隊之間選出了勝者。所有四家廣播公司都選擇了德克薩斯人隊，然後得到了格萊美獲獎說唱歌手的回應。

“你們在說什麼？什麼都沒有！”卡迪在社交媒體上對廣播公司大喊大叫。

“他們不相信我們！！！我喜歡我們！！！！！！我們擁有我們所擁有的一切！！！！我們需要的一切！！！#Patsnation，”她為視頻添加了標題。

他們不相信我們！我喜歡我們！ ！ ！ ！我們都有了！ ！ ！ ！我們有我們需要的一切！ ！ ！ #帕茨國家 https://t.co/pufQTNTIIw pic.twitter.com/GLa7dQy9Jr

— 卡迪 B (@iamcardib) 2026 年 1 月 18 日

球迷們紛紛在評論部分分享他們對 Pats Nation 繼續季后賽的希望。

“我們知道現在所有的 Pats Nation 聽起來都是這樣，”DIRECT TV 的官方賬號對卡迪的帖子做出了回應。

“告訴他們卡迪，”另一位粉絲回應道。

“是的，讓他們知道！！！！仇恨者會討厭你支持球隊！”另一位粉絲也表示同意。

愛國者隊以 16-28 戰勝德州人隊，並將晉級下週末的亞足聯冠軍賽，對手是 1 月 25 日的丹佛野馬隊。

卡迪·B 和史蒂芬·迪格斯的關係

卡迪整個賽季都非常支持迪格斯，她觀看了 11 月份對陣亞特蘭大獵鷹隊的比賽、12 月份對陣紐約噴氣機隊的比賽以及週末對陣德州人隊的比賽。這對情侶在今年夏天正式傳出戀情后，在一起還不到一年。隨後，這對夫婦於 2025 年 11 月迎來了他們的第一個孩子。據報導，迪格斯與不同的女性還有另外五個孩子，卡迪則與前夫 Migos 說唱歌手 Offset 育有三個孩子。

愛國者隊將在 Mile High 體育場的 Empower Field 參加亞足聯冠軍賽，對陣野馬隊。這將是愛國者隊自2018賽季以來首次晉級分區冠軍賽。

休斯頓德州人隊回到了熟悉的一月份位置，但本週的分區回合比賽帶來了額外的情感，尤其是對他們的四分衛 CJ 斯特勞德來說。

當休斯頓準備迎戰新英格蘭愛國者隊時，斯特勞德花時間公開讚揚前德州外接手斯蒂芬·迪格斯，他現在身著愛國者隊的球衣，準備在季后賽中對陣他的老東家。斯特勞德在賽前發表講話時明確表示，迪格斯對他的影響遠遠超出了數據表。

“斯蒂芬[on Diggs] “他是我職業生涯和一生中遇到的最好的隊友之一，”CJ Stroud 通過 Houston Stressans 說道，“他對我的生活來說是令人驚嘆的，不僅在場上，而且在場下也是如此。我認為他非常注重隊友。他想和大家在一起，他想為大家做事，他想成為房間裡的隊長之一……永遠是我的兄弟，永遠是朋友。很高興看到他的職業生涯朝著這個方向發展。我認為，他前面有一個很棒的球。”

CJ 斯特勞德談斯蒂芬·迪格斯：

“斯蒂芬是我職業生涯和一生中遇到過的最好的隊友之一。他對我的生活非常出色，不僅在場上，而且在場下也是如此。我認為他非常注重隊友。他將永遠是我的兄弟，永遠是朋友。” pic.twitter.com/EiL41ROHS9

— 休斯頓·斯特雷桑 (@TexansCommenter) 2026 年 1 月 14 日

然而，迪格斯的回歸面對休斯頓隊建立了一個經典的季后賽復仇故事。現在，這位經驗豐富的接球手在新英格蘭隊完成了自己的第七個 1000 碼賽季，進入了分區輪次，儘管愛國者隊在 16-3 外卡戰勝洛杉磯閃電隊的比賽中嚴重依賴防守。迪格斯在那場比賽中只完成了兩次接球推進 16 碼，但他在目標數上並列全隊領先，這增強了他在進攻中的重要性。

在前十字韌帶撕裂導致他 2024 年賽季第 8 週縮短之前，迪格斯在休斯頓效力期間表現出了出色的表現。在八場比賽中，他接球47次，推進496碼，增加3次接球達陣，一次沖球得分，場均推進62碼，提醒大家他仍然具有精英價值。

對於斯特勞德來說，這場比賽也代表了他年輕職業生涯中的另一個關鍵關卡。這位三年級四分衛帶領德州人隊連續第三個賽季進入分區賽，但休斯頓隊尚未取得突破。前幾年輸給巴爾的摩烏鴉隊和堪薩斯城酋長隊的失利仍然揮之不去，這使得福克斯伯勒的這次路試成為一個決定性的時刻。

德州人隊在外卡賽中以 30-6 的優勢擊敗匹茲堡鋼人隊，在德梅科·瑞恩斯的帶領下，他們的防守繼續奠定了基調。與此同時，新英格蘭隊正在追逐自湯姆·布雷迪時代以來最深入的季后賽之旅，這給舞台增添了更多的緊張氣氛。

斯蒂芬·迪格斯的提審已被推遲。

這位新英格蘭愛國者隊的外接手目前因涉嫌12月2日在馬薩諸塞州發生的涉及他的私人廚師的事件而面臨勒頸、輕罪襲擊和毆打等重罪指控。據《波士頓環球報》報導，迪格斯原定於 1 月 23 日在戴德姆地方法院受審，距離今年的亞足聯錦標賽還有兩天，但由於“之前安排的職業承諾”，現在已推遲到 2 月 13 日，也就是超級碗比賽結束後的五天。超級碗比賽將於 2 月 8 日在加利福尼亞州聖克拉拉舉行。

迪格斯的法律團隊正在尋求推遲這位 NFL 球星的案件，因為“他最近才參與此事，而且……他之前已經安排好了職業承諾”，時間為 1 月 23 日。他的律師大衛·邁耶 (David Meier) 代表迪格斯否認了這些指控。

“斯蒂芬·迪格斯斷然否認這些指控。這些指控未經證實、未經證實，也從未接受過調查——因為它們根本沒有發生過，”邁爾在 Boston25 的一份聲明中表示。 “提出指控的時機和動機非常清楚：它們是僱員與雇主財務糾紛的直接結果，而該糾紛的解決方式並未令僱員滿意。史蒂芬期待在法庭上查明真相。”

在指控消息傳出後，愛國者隊發表了一份聲明。

“新英格蘭愛國者隊了解對斯蒂芬·迪格斯的指控。斯蒂芬已通知該組織，他斷然否認這些指控。我們支持斯蒂芬。我們將繼續收集信息，並在必要時與有關當局和 NFL 充分合作。出於對所有相關方的尊重，並考慮到這是一個持續的法律問題，我們目前不會發表進一步評論。”

迪格斯在受到指控後接受了媒體採訪，但他沒有談論這一懸而未決的案件，因為他稱這是“一個激動人心的時刻”。

“對正在發生的一些事情感到驚訝，”他上週告訴記者。 “但我想在這裡對我這幾天沒空表示抱歉。這是一段不同的時光。”

他繼續說道：“這絕對是一個懸而未決的案件，所以我什至不能對此說什麼。我會對任何足球問題，任何你想知道的問題持開放態度。我不想以任何方式表現得粗魯或具有破壞​​性。如果有人問我有關足球的問題， [the allegations]，我顯然只是想給你看一下。你們現在都認識我了。 ”

愛國者隊目前以13勝1負的戰績領先亞冠東區。週日（1 月 11 日），愛國者隊將在吉列體育場舉行外卡賽，主場迎戰洛杉磯閃電隊 (11-6)。