Getty Buffalo Bills wide receiver spikes the football after scoring against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Before Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs ended up in Buffalo last season, the former Vikings receiver was dragged through the mud in Minnesota.
A long series of events that included skipped practices, comments to the media, and several other things led to a falling out between one of the best receivers in the game and an organization that had just signed him to a 5-year, $72 million extension the year before, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rappoport.
On a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Diggs opened up about his situation in Minnesota and how it turned out well for him in Buffalo.
“My situation was very unique for myself because the things that I voiced as far as being in a work world, you want to be able to trust the people that you work with, you want to have that relationship where you are building and you are on the same page,” Diggs said during his appearance on First Take. “But we don’t live in a shut up and play world anymore. Not at all, in no way shape, or form, and everything that is going on, with people realizing their power and how much they mean. They just want to have a say in the things that take place. This is our lives, this is our career and we take it pretty seriously.”
After signing Diggs to that major deal in 2018, the Minnesota Vikings ran the ball 476 times compared to their 466 pass attempts, which ranked 30th in the NFL. Diggs has said in the past that the miscommunication between player and front office led to a lack of trust, which eventually led to his dissatisfaction with the organization and he voiced that.
Because of that, Diggs feels like, while his situation is unique in its own way, he can still relate to what Deshaun Watson is going through in Houston.
“I’m a huge fan of Deshaun Watson. I think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league,” Diggs said. “For a man to be upset or a man to want something different for himself, I don’t think he’s wrong for that. I was one of those unique situations where it worked out.”
It couldn’t have gone any better for Diggs either.
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Diggs Put Together a Career Year in Buffalo
In his first season in Buffalo, Diggs finished the regular season by becoming the first Bill in franchise history to lead the league in both receptions (127) and yards (1,535). He also re-wrote the Bills single-season record book and helped the Bills offense reach a whole new level in 2020.
The Bills ended up with the highest-scoring offense in the AFC at the end of the regular season and Bills quarterback Josh Allen developed a relationship with Diggs that flourished throughout this year. Diggs said that relationship and the style of offense the Bills have in place led to his season skyrocketing this year.
“This is a pass-heavy offense that I’m in now coming from more of a run-heavy offense where I may not be getting as many targets or as many opportunities,” Diggs said during his appearance on First Take. “So there are just more opportunities with this offense, that’s all. You kind of don’t want to overthink it and make it more than it is. But, there are more opportunities when you are throwing it 30-40 times a game.”
Buffalo did have a very pass-happy offense this season and there were only four games this season where Allen didn’t attempt 30 or more passes.
Diggs Made History in AFC Championship game
Heading into Buffalo’s AFC Championship Diggs had the opportunity to set a few new NFL records and he came out with at least one. Diggs needed six or more receptions to become the first player in NFL history to record at least six or more catches in 16 straight games.
With six catches for 77 yards, Diggs accomplished the feat. The only game that Diggs didn’t record six or more catches in this season was Buffalo’s Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams when he faced off with cornerback Jalen Ramsey. He finished that game with four catches for 49 yards and one touchdown.
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