FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Depart it to Northeasterners to get carried away with their pearl clutching. New England is astonished at a star conducting himself like … a star.
Sure, New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs went viral final week after a sequence of movies appeared on social media exhibiting him partying on his girlfriend Cardi B’s yacht. Within the preliminary leak of movies, she was nowhere to be seen. One video confirmed Diggs surrounded by a bunch of girls that he ultimately handed an unidentified pink substance.
Not lengthy after, Cardi B posted photographs and movies that indicated she was part of the get together, in any case. That quieted criticism about Diggs’ habits with the opposite girls. However, after all, that pink substance has been a lot mentioned.
What’s it? We could by no means ensure.
I do not condone Diggs’ actions. I am simply not stunned that he has created points off the sphere. Nor do I believe the Patriots ought to be. Definitely, new head coach Mike Vrabel’s response did not shock me.
“It is one thing that we’re conscious of,” Vrabel stated when requested concerning the video of Diggs with the pink substance. “Clearly, we need to make nice choices on and off the sphere. … Any conversations that I’ve had with Stefon will stay between him, I and the membership.”
Diggs clearly made errors over the course of the get together on the yacht. Considered one of them was letting the passengers preserve their telephones. You’d assume Cardi B and Diggs would possibly’ve had a “no telephones” rule like many different celebrities within the highlight. And this made it abundantly clear that Diggs is within the highlight.
He was as soon as probably the greatest receivers within the NFL. He was additionally engaged within the style world. And since he began relationship Cardi B, Diggs is not only a soccer participant anymore, similar to Travis Kelce is rather more than a Professional Bowl tight finish. By relationship two queens of pop music, they’ve ascended into a star standing that makes them attention-grabbing to folks exterior the NFL sphere.
Meaning elevated scrutiny.
That additionally means elevated hypothesis, together with that the Patriots would possibly launch Diggs over this incident. In spite of everything, he would not have monetary safety as a result of he hasn’t handed his bodily but, which suggests the Patriots might slip free from his contract. However in line with studies, that is not occurring.
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The Patriots have purchased into Diggs, with all his baggage.
And he is obtained loads of baggage. He is the grasp of the cryptic tweet, sending out complicated messages that often solid doubt about his future with nearly each crew for which he is performed. That is when he is passive-aggressive. However he is been extra overtly important, too. He was upset with Josh Allen on the sidelines throughout the Buffalo Bills‘ playoffs after the 2022 season. Then he left the locker room after the sport earlier than the assistant coaches made it down from the field. Diggs later missed practices throughout Buffalo’s obligatory minicamp, which led coach Sean McDermott to say he was “very concerned” concerning the receiver.
When the Patriots signed Diggs, they needed to know they had been getting a problem. They signed on anyway, primarily as a result of he was the one problem who would have them.
Over the previous few years, New England has tried to domesticate younger receiver expertise. When that did not work, the Patriots tried to commerce for Brandon Aiyuk and tried to signal Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins. Star receivers — even declining or mercurial ones — have averted New England due to its offensive decline and uncertainty.
That is why they turned to Diggs, a 31-year-old wideout who gave the impression to be in decline even earlier than he tore his ACL final October. Diggs had nowhere else to go. The Patriots had nobody else to show to.
This is not to say that Diggs is with out advantage. Thus far in his profession, it is true he is been a problem, however he isn’t a most cancers — not even in Buffalo, the place Allen and Diggs stated consistently that that they had a detailed relationship. Diggs is an enormously arduous employee. He was current for apply on Monday and took part in every little thing aside from full-speed aggressive drills, a powerful exhibiting for a man simply seven months faraway from ACL surgical procedure. He took half in some half-speed walkthroughs and ran routes. He led the wideouts by means of their receiver drills.
“I do know he’s staying up on the data and the fabric,” Patriots OC Josh McDaniels stated of Diggs. “There’s so many issues and alternatives for us to show all of our guys going ahead, between the remainder of the practices right here within the spring after which going into the summer season and the various days now we have earlier than we really kick the ball off in September. I’m not involved about Stef in that regard.”
I get that there is extra to the world than soccer. Youngsters look as much as Diggs, and he let these children down. We are able to all acknowledge {that a} mistake is a mistake. However since we’re being sincere, celebrities do not typically make nice function fashions. It is a waste of vitality to behave upset and even stunned that Diggs is inflicting a stir.
Let go of these pearls, people. You are holding on too tight.
Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years protecting the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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