Stefon Diggs Has Been Everything the Patriots Could've Hoped for, Including a Leader

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Admittedly, back on that magical 3-28 Day Observance when the Patriots made it official and signed Stefon Diggs, there were some nagging causes for concern. The first being that he tore his ACL last October. The second being the run-ins he had with reigning league MVP Josh Allen in Buffalo:

Which, given everything we've from the way Allen has handled his business over his entire career raised more red flags than a first date telling you she's in love with you. But was a little easier to accept once you learned Diggs' last position coach is the brother of our offensive coordinator. So unless Ben and Josh McDaniels have a real Scar-Mufasa dynamic, we should feel good about Diggs coming highly recommended. 

Then two months after the Pats signed him, there was this little hiccup:

But that went nowhere. It was a Royale With Cheese nothingburger. Everything the team has expected of him, he's done. Beginning with rehabbing from his ACL beyond any and all reasonable expectations:

If the Big Dig was as ahead of schedule as Stefon Diggs, Massholes working in construction and law enforcement would've missed out on about $20 billion in overtime.

Next, all he's done is get along with everybody. Been a mentor to a young receiver group. Built the kind of nonpolar covalent bond with his 23-year-old quarterback that makes chemists weak in the knees. Worked hard with his coaches that's set an example for the entire roster. As witnessed in the final installment of Forged in Foxborough (cued up to the 25:43 mark):

And the latest example game after practice yesterday. Diggs faced the media, with a message to deliver. And took the high road, as a veteran leader should. 

By way of background, two very good Patriots reporters, Phil Perry and Tom E. Curran, had this discussion about Diggs a couple of weeks ago, after Diggs did an interview with Dianna Russini where he passed on the chance to guarantee he'll be dressing for the Raiders game in Week 1:

NBC Sports Boston -  "It's interesting, Tom, because there are little signs that he's just becoming a bit of a pain in the posterior," Perry said of Diggs. …

Perry then noted that while Diggs has displayed plenty of skill on the field this summer, his overall performance has been "quiet."

"It all sort of adds up to, there's a lot going on with this guy for a guy who doesn't look like a No. 1 receiver anymore," Perry said. 

Perry added some more detail to that thought on Early Edition. …

Perry was then asked if Diggs would be worth a headache for the team.

"How severe a headache is it? Because if we're talking migraine, if it turns into a migraine, I'm gonna say no. I just don't think he's a No. 1 receiver at this point in time," he reiterated. "Let's rephrase that: If he's a headache, in my opinion, not worth it. He's a No. 2 at this point in his career. I don't think he's going to be a thousand-yard receiver." 

Now that's just the professional opinion of a guy who's at practice everyday, watching and observing. Nothing personal. And it remains to be seen whether the perennial Pro Bowler who produced six straight 1,000 seasons (with two over 1,400) and was on pace for a thousand last year, has another one in him. All that is fair. 

But the comments about pains in posteriors and aches in heads merited a response.  Which brings us to Diggs from the podium:

More NBC Sports Boston - "Obviously, I don't want to come across as that," Diggs said. "And I'm gonna say this, I want to be very clear: I'm an adult. I'll apologize. I'm not up here to ego trip. I'm not up here to rub anybody the wrong way or say anything for clickbait. If I rubbed anybody wrong, I really want to apologize."

Diggs added: "I want to make myself available each and every week. Obviously, I don't want to make this thing abrasive. It can be as seamless as possible, and it also can be abrasive. I don't want to get up here and not answer questions, or make anybody feel uncomfortable. …

"If somebody calls you an a--hole and then they start acting like one. … I won't," Diggs said. "That's not me. So I want to apologize if I ever came across as an a--hole to anybody. But moving forward, I kind of want to get things off on the right foot. We're gonna spend a lot of time together, and I'll kind of want to give a -- obviously -- a good interview if I'm asked questions. I don't want to get up here giving you the vanilla answers or no answer at all. So moving forward, hopefully this relationship can grow and we build on something special. Obviously, it's gonna be a long season, so we're gonna spend a lot of time together. …

"Obviously, everybody has a job," he said. "I just want to -- hopefully I'm being painted not in a negative light, not having rubbed anybody wrong or done anything. I don't want to be that guy."

And to clarify things he said the Russini interview:

"We don't talk about injury," Diggs said. "Our coach always says, 'Don't talk about injury. Don't talk about anything we got going on.' … You don't want to let the opposition know what's going on. And obviously, if it was hazy, it was for a good reason. I didn't mean any hurt, harm or danger about it. It was just more so, like, damn, you don't want the opposition to see you coming, do you? And it was playful. It wasn't really like, if you watched the interview, it was more sarcastic and obviously playful."

To quote Jim Lovell in Apollo 13, "And that. Is how. You do. That." 

In a carefully crafted statement, partially read and partially speaking from the heart, Diggs just took all the air out of what might have become a divisive, time-consuming, energy-wasting battle with the local media. Which would've eventually escalated and spread throughout the region of the locker room and coaching staff as everyone would be asked to weigh in on it. And now it's all been defused. Peace has broken out throughout the land:

… during camp.

In conclusion, Diggs put on a masterclass in how to squash beefs.

Now his name doesn't even appear on the practice injury reports. He's confirmed he's not on any kind of a pitch count for Sunday. And the one guy who's opinion of Diggs matters most is ready to feed him:

This is how a true WR1 handles himself. It's been a long time coming around here. Kick the ball off, already.