Sometimes, a change of environment can make a world of difference, especially for an NFL star.
Two-time All-Pro Stefon Diggs looks like a player who could benefit from a new environment heading into the 2024 season.
Diggs agreed to a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Buffalo Bills in 2022, but quickly appeared to become unhappy with his situation in Western New York. It became clear that the Bills and Diggs were headed for a divorce. The standout wide receiver has now broken his silence on how the split with the Bills came about.
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Buffalo Bills player Stefon Diggs (number 14) warms up before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on January 7, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
“Last year I was in the worst mental state I've been in since I got in the league,” Diggs said. GQ Sports“If I'm not in a good place, then it's obviously not what's best for me, so that's when I had to start getting things in order.”
Bills brass explains how 'Albatross' contract led to decision to release Stefon Diggs
Diggs' 2023 season started well, recording 100-plus yards receiving in five of the first six games, but he was much more mediocre by the end of the season, with Diggs only surpassing the 80-yard receiving mark twice over the final 11 weeks of the regular season.
Buffalo Bills player Stefon Diggs (No. 14) reacts during an AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Images)
The Bills defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the Divisional Round. Diggs recorded 52 receiving yards in the game against the Steelers but only had one catch for 7 yards in the Divisional Round.
Diggs pointed to the Bills' performance late last season when discussing his departure.
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) before a game against the New York Giants at NRG Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Houston, Texas, USA. (Troy Taormina-USA Today Sports)
“The game looked a lot different,” Diggs said. “You can blame me. You can blame me. I had a big shoulder. But you have to pay attention, pay attention, really pay attention. Watch the game. Obviously, there are a lot of plays I wish I could do over, but there were a lot of plays that just didn't go my way.”
Diggs continued to face questions about the cause of his decline in production as the season went on.
“A lot of things have to go right for you to get the ball. You're not going to roll out of bed and get 800 yards in the first eight games. The best receivers do that. Talk to me about the last 10 games. What changed? Has anything changed? I only focus on what actually happened and not on people acting like it happened. Like, did we forget how to play football in the last 10 games?”
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Wide receiver Gabe Davis also left the Bills this offseason, at age 25. Jacksonville JaguarsHowever, the Bills front office did sign veteran pass-catchers Curtis Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
Buffalo drafted the former Florida State wide receiver in April. Keon Coleman In the second round.
“Our receiver corps right now is like a Baskin Robbins,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane joked. “There's a lot of different flavors.”
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