After a high-profile spat at minicamp in June, the Buffalo Bills have apparently mended fences with star wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs had skipped the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp on June 13, sparking speculation of a wider rift with the team after an offseason filled with cryptic messages and hints of tensions. But Diggs returned to practice the following day and head coach Sean McDermott walked back his statement that he was “very concerned” about Diggs, saying that the receiver’s absence was excused.
The Bills ended up canceling the planned third day of minicamp, leaving just one day with Diggs participating alongside teammates and leaving uncertainty over whether the team had worked through the issues with the All-Pro.
Insider Jeremy Fowler is now sharing some insight on the situation and giving a key update on Diggs’ plans for training camp in July.
Stefon Diggs Plans to Return
In a June 26 appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Fowler said it was a strong sign that Diggs was back at minicamp the day after a reported disagreement, the nature of which has not been revealed. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported that Diggs was unhappy with his role in the offenses, but neither Diggs nor the coaching staff have spoken on the matter.
Whatever issues the two sides may have had, Fowler reported that Diggs’ return to minicamp shows that they have been smoothed out — and that Diggs will be back again at training camp.
“I was told pretty adamantly that Diggs would not have been there for that minicamp practice on the field had he not felt that they were in a little better of a place than they were before that Tuesday,” Fowler said. “I do sense that things are positive, and I’m told the Bills fully expect him for training camp. They don’t really expect any funny business here; they do believe they have this resolved.”
The tensions stretched back to the conclusion of last season, when Diggs was seen growing animated with quarterback Josh Allen during the team’s playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last season. He then shared a series of cryptic statements on social media, prompting worry among fans that there could be some underlying tensions.
Worries Still Remain Around Bills, Stefon Diggs
While there may not be any more public tensions between Diggs and the Bills, some analysts are still worried about what the situation could mean for the team’s Super Bowl aspirations. Responding to Fowler’s report that Diggs will be back for training camp, Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd questioned whether it could hang over the team throughout the season.
Former Patriots safety Logan Ryan told Cowherd that there had been some issues with players on the Patriots, but it took strong leadership from head coach Bill Belichick and team leaders to keep it in check and ensure that situations did not spill over from the locker room to the field.
Ryan warned that McDermott needs to keep a tight watch over the situation to ensure that it doesn’t create a rift among more players.
“If your head coach isn’t doing anything about it, now there’s separation of classes because he’s getting coached different than the rest of us,” Ryan said.
Insider Shares Key Update on Bills’ Stefon Diggs After Drama With Team