First-year New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel could have put to rest any controversy surrounding Stefon Diggs' absence from the team's first preseason game against the Commanders.
But the coach chose not to -- instead, leaving the reason for Diggs' absence unclear.
Did the Patriots hold Stefon Diggs out as a precaution on Friday night?
— The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) August 11, 2025
Mike Vrabel: “Coach’s decision.” pic.twitter.com/DRm44Ax1QL
Diggs' absence could be strictly precautionary, as the 31-year-old is coming off ACL reconstruction surgery. However, he has been fully cleared for contact and has been a regular at training camp. All of the Patriots' other receivers played at least one series against Washington.
It's worth noting that Diggs has found himself in Vrabel's doghouse in his first season with the team.
Back in the spring, Diggs appeared in a viral boat video that led coach Vrabel to stress the importance of good decision-making, saying it was personal and handled internally.
Diggs' lack of action on Friday night came two days after he was late to his team's joint practice against Washington for an undisclosed reason. He jogged out to the field roughly 45 minutes late and worked with trainers on the side before participating in team drills alongside quarterback Drake Maye.
Overall, Diggs has played in 144 regular season games with 136 starts and has 857 receptions for 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns. He had 100-plus receptions five times, including four straight seasons (2020-23). With Buffalo in 2020, his 127 receptions led the NFL. He recorded six straight 1,000-yard seasons (2018-23), including a career-high and NFL-leading 1,535 receiving yards in 2020. He also has 36 100-yard games.
Last season, Diggs was limited to eight games and starts due to a knee injury and finished the year with 47 receptions for 496 yards and 3 touchdowns.
More NFL News:
- Two-way star Travis Hunter Jr. debuts for Jaguars against Steelers
- Cam Ward makes NFL debut tonight as Titans face Buccaneers