Patriots' Stefon Diggs charged with felony strangulation, denies allegations
Stefon Diggs #8 of the New England Patriots reacts after the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BOSTON - New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges stemming from an incident earlier this month, according to police.
News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts. It is unclear what led to the charges, which include felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
What they're saying:
Diggs’ lawyer, David Meier, said in an emailed statement that Diggs "categorically denies these allegations."
Meier said the allegations never occurred, describing them as unsubstantiated and uncorroborated.
"The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction," Meier wrote.
In a statement, the Patriots said they were also standing by Diggs: "We support Stefon," the team said.
Pats star Stefon Diggs facing strangulation charge
New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened earlier this month, police said.
The backstory:
Diggs, 32, established himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers during a run with Minnesota and Buffalo from 2018 to 2023, when he had six consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times.
After a lackluster stint in Houston last year, Diggs ended up in New England, signing a three-year, $69 million deal in free agency that guaranteed him $26 million.
RELATED: Patriots coach quiet on Stefon Diggs’ boat video: 'It’s something that we’re aware of'
Diggs has proven a reliable target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and is a big reason why the team has once again clinched the AFC East title as the team heads toward the playoffs.
Off the field, though, his tenure with the Patriots got off to a rocky start when a video surfaced on social media in May showing Diggs passing what appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat.
It wasn’t clear what the substance was, and an NFL spokesperson said the league would not comment. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the team would handle that matter internally.
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. Information in the story comes from police and court records related to a hearing held Tuesday in Dedham, Massachusetts, as well as statements from Stefon Diggs’ attorney, David Meier, who denied the allegations on his client’s behalf. This story was reported from Los Angeles.