For the first time since he was traded to the Houston Texans in the spring of 2024, Stefon Diggs will return to Buffalo on Sunday night and he’s expecting it to be emotional.
Diggs, 31, signed with the New England Patriots in the offseason and is now an AFC East rival to the team with whom he spent four seasons from 2020 to 2023.
“To me, obviously, it’s a little sentimental,” Diggs told Boston.com’s Khari A. Thompson. “I spent a lot of time there. 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.”
Acquired from the Minnesota Vikings, with whom he spent the five seasons of his career, Diggs appeared in 66 games for the Bills and formed a formidable partnership with quarterback Josh Allen, recording 445 receptions for 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns. A first-team All-Pro in 2020, Diggs was a Pro Bowler in all four of his Buffalo seasons.
Diggs says his trade from the Bills wasn’t an easy one.
“It’s the nature of the business, I guess,” Diggs said of his move to the Texans. “Obviously, it was hard for me. ”It was a difficult time, I spent a lot of time there, built a lot of friendships. It’s obviously going to be hard and emotional, so for me, I look forward to going back and seeing those guys.
“It’s just the nature of the business, I’m not in control of nothing. I get open and catch the ball. But, like, the internal stuff, obviously I miss those guys over there. You spend a lot of time with people and it becomes more personal than just professional, so when I say it’s the nature of the business, that’s just how it goes.”
A product of Maryland, Diggs only appeared in eight games for the Texans in 2024 before a torn ACL ended his season last October. He’s appeared in all four games this season for the Pats, hauling in 19 catches for 213 yards.
The Patriots (2-2) have won just three of their last 10 meetings with the Bills (4-0).
