Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs finally reached the Super Bowl, but the New England Patriots star had a difficult time making an impact — then drew some criticism for a testy play in the fourth quarter.
Diggs was hit hard while he was out of bounds early in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, then responded by getting into a scrap with a pair of Seattle Seahawks defenders. The play sparked a small melee on the field, one that officials largely ignored as they chose not to throw any flags.
Still, Diggs drew some criticism for losing his cool — and for the off-the-field troubles that surrounded him in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl.
Fans Upset After Stefon Diggs Scraps With Seahawks
Many fans called out Diggs after the Super Bowl fight, noting that he did little to help the team on the field before losing his cool.
“first time I’ve seen Diggs all night and he’s crashing out and throwing punches,” a fan shared in a post on X.
Fans also expressed surprise that referees let the players work it out on the field, not throwing any flags despite what appeared to be a clear penalty on the initial hit on Diggs, as he was out of bounds, and for all the hits that followed. Diggs retaliated, leading to Seahawks defensive back Josh Jobe throwing a punch.
“How do you not throw a flag on Jobe?” noted reporter Nick Cattles in a post on X. “What are we doing? And, he threw a punch? WTF are we doing?”
Others took aim at Diggs for his pending criminal charges. The Patriots receiver was hit with criminal charges of felony strangulation or suffocation in December after police said he assaulted a former personal chef. Diggs and his legal team asked for the arraignment to be delayed until after the Super Bowl, and he is set to return to court later in the week.
Diggs denied the allegations, saying in a statement through lawyer David Meier that the accusations against him were false.
Stefon Diggs Struggles in Super Bowl
Though Diggs was one of the most reliable targets for quarterback Drake Maye this season, he struggled to make an impact during the playoffs and had a very quiet game in the Super Bowl. He had just one catch for five yards through three quarters, struggling to get separation against the aggressive Seahawks defense.
It was actually another former Bills player — wide receiver and special teams ace Mack Hollins — who made the biggest impact for the Patriots. He made three catches for 67 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown catch to get the Patriots on the board for the first time in the fourth quarter.
Ex-Bills WR Stefon Diggs Under Fire for Actions in Super Bowl