They had to wait only seven years. The New England Patriots overcame the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game and reached the Super Bowl. Again.
It was a special moment for the young Patriots team — but one player’s reaction to clinching a spot in the Super Bowl stood out above all others after the final whistle on Sunday.
After two conference title games before Sunday’s 10-7 win over the Broncos, falling short with both the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings, Stefon Diggs finally made it to the Super Bowl.
Even though he played no significant role in the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots wide receiver became emotional on the field after the game. As he stood on the snowy grass, tears streamed down the 32-year-old wide receiver’s face.
Diggs Finally Reaches the Super Bowl
In a emotional 1-on-1 with Cameron Wolfe, reporter for NFLNetwork, the veteran wideout shared his thoughts on making it to the Super Bowl.
“They were calling me washed. Saying I didn’t have it anymore,” Diggs said. “I just wanted to prove to myself I am who I say I am,” the wide receiver answered on Wolfe’s question about his emotions going to the Super Bowl. “The team took a chance on me. I just wanted to make them proud… I am thankful.”
He also had nothing but positive words about the franchise and the people he works with when speaking to Wolfe. “Great quarterback, great team, great head coach,” Diggs added. He repeatedly had to pause briefly.
But the veteran wide receiver got hyped when asked about his quarterback, Drake Maye.
“That’s a soldier! That’s an MVP!” Diggs said. “That’s a guy that stands on 10 toes, battles through adversity. He’s a hell of a player. I’m riding with Drake Maye. I’m thankful to have a quarterback like that. I’m going to give him everything I’ve got every time.”
The Veteran Experienced a Full-Circle Moment
It was a long time coming for Diggs, who was the subject of a famous photograph after Buffalo’s loss in the 2020 NFL playoffs.
It was a moment that now feels like a distant memory, because after years of setbacks and doubts, he finally made it back to the biggest stage in American football.
Asked about this full-circle moment, Diggs took his hands and rubbed his eyes. When he looked up again, the shine in his eyes was clearly visible. Tears. Tears of relief, gratitude, and happiness.
His partner Cardi B also appeared emotional after the game.
“We are going to the Super Bowl,” she shouted into the cameras.
This definitely was kind of a redemption season for Diggs, who was traded by the Bills in 2024. He suffered a season-ending injury with the Houston Texans last year before landing with the Patriots last offseason.
And really, nobody truly believed in his comeback.
Although Diggs topped 1,000 yards this season with the Patriots, he wasn’t able to build on his performances in the playoffs. In the Championship Game, he recorded just two receptions for 17 yards.
The wide receiver can finally leave the past behind him. On February 8, 2026, he will compete for the coveted Lombardi Trophy with the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
However, he already said, “We’ve got some unfinished business.”
Patriots’ Stefon Diggs Shares Emotional Words in 1-on-1