Stefon Diggs had a slow start to his 2025 campaign, but that was expected coming off an ACL tear. On top of that, Diggs had a much shorter recovery time than most, which was well-documented.
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In fact, many were surprised when the New England Patriots handed Diggs a three-year, $69 million contract. But now, Diggs is living up to the deal, and Cam Newton thinks he deserves some praise.
There’s no other way to put it: Diggs was straight-up balling last night. On Sunday Night Football against his former team, the Buffalo Bills, he logged 10 catches for 146 yards. It was an inspiring performance that came on the heels of a 7-for-101 game in Week 4. From the looks of it, Diggs is feeling healthy and back to his elite form.
That’s why the former Patriot, Newton, felt it was appropriate to shout out Diggs this morning.
“Dare I say he looks like vintage Stefon. Because he had a hundred last week. And I’m like, yo, what Cardi B over there doing to my boy?… Stefon Diggs is playing some good football that impacted the whole sideline,” Newton professed on First Take.
The former QB jokingly mentioned Diggs’ current girlfriend, Cardi B, as a reason why he’s playing better. It could be a reason, sure. After all, Diggs seems happy, a stark contrast to his wild offseason, which included a $12,000-per-night vacation during training camp at a French castle with his girlfriend, among other things.
“Drake Maye did an unbelievable job managing the game.”
Cam Newton on the Patriots after defeating the Bills on SNF. pic.twitter.com/2hmJ1KTFxw
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 6, 2025
Diggs wasn’t the only player Newton shouted out, though.
“Drake Maye did an unbelievable job at managing the game. I said managing the game. Every quarterback needs to assemble that key to be effective,” the former QB mentioned.
Maye was indeed phenomenal, considering the peripherals. Even though he didn’t throw or run for a touchdown, he passed for 273 yards and didn’t turn the ball over once. This allowed the Patriots to keep the chains moving and run the ball effectively in the red zone.
But the night was ultimately about Diggs. The former Bill had revenge on his mind throughout the game, especially after his tumultuous departure from the team in 2024. He even admitted after the game that he enjoyed beating his old team.
“100 percent. Obviously, I love those guys. Still got a good relationship with those guys. Got a lot of respect for ’em. But I love the game of football more. And every time I go out here, I’m trying to prove it. Not only to them, but to myself,” Diggs told PFT.
Well, mission successful. The former Bill showed the unbeaten opponent why they might be missing a dominant WR1 who can take over a game. Josh Allen completed a pass to six different receivers, but only one of them just barely got over 100 yards.
At the end of the day, though, everyone involved comes out happy. The Bills didn’t want to deal with Diggs’ drama when they traded him, and ever since, he’s proven he’s still an elite wideout. The new contract also gave the Bills flexibility to pay Allen, James Cook, and other key players, helping them maintain a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
Meanwhile, after a stellar season cut short with the Houston Texans, Diggs is now finding his footing with the Patriots. All’s well that ends well.
