Sean McDermott reveals why he’s ‘very impressed’ with former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs ahead of Week 5 showdown vs. Patriots
The Buffalo Bills head coach made his feelings known about former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs.
The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots will face off in Week 5 of the NFL season. The Bills Mafia was called out ahead of the contest, when the team will be wearing their special Nike Rivalries jerseys for the first time this season. The fanbase was asked to show up in all white in hopes of simulating a blizzard-like environment in the stadium, making life difficult for the visiting Patriots.
There are plenty of storylines heading into the matchup, one of the biggest being Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs returning to play in Buffalo for the first time since being traded by the organization.
Head coach Sean McDermott opened up on Diggs, how he’s been able to overcome some injuries, and how he’s looked through the early stages of the season. It’s all love from McDermott toward his former player in Diggs.
“Very impressed, not surprised, but very impressed in terms of how he looks,” McDermott said. “He looks great. Very few can come off an injury like that from a timing standpoint, especially that first year and look the way he looks. I’m not surprised, he’s a heck of an athlete and he works really hard.”
Stefon Diggs’ stats playing for the Buffalo Bills
- 2020: 127 receptions, 1,535 yards, eight touchdowns
- 2021: 103 receptions, 1,225 yards, 10 touchdowns
- 2022: 108 receptions, 1,429 yards, 11 touchdowns
- 2023: 107 receptions, 1,183 yards, eight touchdowns
Diggs’ departure was messy
The veteran receiver spent four seasons in Buffalo before ultimately being traded to the Houston Texans in a shocking move that forced the Bills to absorb a dead cap hit of more than $31 million.
It came after a handful of cryptic messages from the receiver, who was clearly unhappy with his role on the team.
After Diggs had been traded to the Texans, the veteran opened up about the change of scenery, explaining how it had been one of the hardest moments of his life.
“Last year, I was in the worst mental space I’ve been in since I’ve been in the league,” Diggs said. “If I’m not in a good space, obviously that’s not the best for me. So that’s when things had to start shaking out.”
Diggs spent one year with the Texans, totaling 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns before tearing his ACL, ending his season.
He had only signed a one-year deal with Houston, which allowed him to sign a new contract with the New England Patriots. It was a three-year, $69 million contract with $26 million guaranteed. Through four weeks, Diggs leads the Patriots with receiving yards with 213 on 19 receptions. While not finding the end zone, Diggs is one of the top options for an up-and-coming offense.
It’ll be interesting to see how the fans respond when Diggs returns to the field in Orchard Park for the first time since his controversial departure. With a victory, Buffalo can continue to build on its impressive lead in the AFC East, all while spoiling Diggs’ return.
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