Stefon Diggs to be released by the New England Patriots after just one season of a three-year deal, a move that shocks many given his high-profile signing and past performance.
Diggs, 32, joined the Patriots last year on a three-year, $63.5 million contract. League sources told ESPN that team officials informed him he would be released on Wednesday, March 11. On March 4, Diggs acknowledged his time with the team on Instagram, writing, “THANK YOU for a hell of a year. We family forever.”
His tenure with the Patriots was marked by off-field controversies and legal challenges. Weeks before the release announcement, Diggs pleaded not guilty to charges including felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery. The season also drew attention after a viral video surfaced last May showing Diggs passing a mystery substance to women on a yacht. In December, he was arrested following an accusation of slapping and choking a woman.
Personal developments also made headlines. Diggs’ relationship with rapper Cardi B, with whom he shares a child born in November, ended just as the Patriots reached the Super Bowl.
On the field, Diggs still produced solid numbers in his 11th NFL season and only year with New England, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. Despite the production, salary cap concerns reportedly influenced the decision. His cap charge was set to jump from $10.5 million to $26.5 million, and remaining on the roster for another week would have triggered an additional $6 million in guaranteed money.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel reflected on Diggs’ contributions, noting his work during recovery from a torn ACL in 2024. “He worked extremely hard in the time that he was rehabbing from the knee,” Vrabel said at the NFL combine last week. “I think he was just a really good presence each and every week.”
Diggs’ release closes a brief and turbulent chapter in New England, leaving questions about how the Patriots will adjust their roster and where the veteran receiver will land next.
