It’s going to be an “emotional” return to Buffalo on Sunday for new Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Reflecting on his four seasons with the Bills ahead of this weekend’s primetime clash against New England, the 31-year-old Diggs expanded on his time in Western New York and what potentially awaits him when he takes the field at Highmark Stadium as an opponent.
“To me, obviously, it’s a little sentimental. I spent a lot of time there,” Diggs said Wednesday, according to Boston.com. “I’m real familiar with the staff, familiar with the guys there. The guys that I’ve maintained a relationship with, I’m looking forward to seeing them play. It’s going to be a little bit emotional.
“I try to keep the main thing the main thing, but it’s my first time back there. It’s going to be a hell of an atmosphere. I was a part of that for a long time. I played there before I got there. So, I’m excited.”
Diggs arrived in Buffalo ahead of the 2020 season via trade from the Vikings.
He posted career-highs in receptions (127) and yardage (1,535) that season, his first catching passes from current league MVP Josh Allen.
Although Diggs enjoyed success with the Bills, the honeymoon faded by Buffalo’s divisional-round playoff loss to Cincinnati in January 2023, when the wideout appeared visibly frustrated on the sidelines with Allen.
Drama carried over into the summer when Diggs was not on the field for the first day of mandatory minicamp, with the Boston Globe reporting in June 2023 that he was unhappy over his “role in the offense.”
Diggs returned and went on to tally 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns in the 2023 season.
That turned out to be Diggs’ final year in Buffalo, as he was traded to Houston in April 2024.
However, his stint with the Texans was short-lived after he sustained a torn ACL midway through the year.
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Diggs found a new home with the Patriots in free agency, agreeing to a three-year, $63.5 million deal to be a top target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
The four-time Pro Bowler, who is expecting his first child with girlfriend Cardi B, said Buffalo still holds a special spot in his heart.
“You get excited, but try not to get too overzealous. It’s another game, but it’s a division game, more importantly,” Diggs said. “All the things outside of that, me being there before, obviously, people are going to make that a huge thing, and it is a huge thing for me. I’ve got a lot of respect and a lot of love for that city, that fanbase, and even the players.”
Through four games with the Patriots, Diggs has 19 receptions for 213 yards.
The Patriots enter Sunday’s game against the undefeated Bills at 2-2.