Crucial offseason decision was major draw for new Patriots WR Stefon Diggs
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Stefon Diggs is a big fan of Mike Vrabel and he made that clear during his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium on Friday. The new Patriots receiver even revealed that Vrabel was part of the reason that he decided to sign with New England. He got to meet Vrabel at a […]
FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Stefon Diggs is a big fan of Mike Vrabel and he made that clear during his introductory press conference at Gillette Stadium on Friday.
The new Patriots receiver even revealed that Vrabel was part of the reason that he decided to sign with New England. He got to meet Vrabel at a Pro Bowl, and the head coach clearly made a good first impression, with Diggs telling him "he was young and handsome."
And after signing, the receiver posted a photo of Vrabel during his days as a player. A to Z Sports asked him why he did that.
“There’s going to be a lot of posts like that. I told him he was young and handsome,” Diggs said. “He’s still kind of young. I don’t know about the handsome part. I make a lot of jokes so there’s going to be a lot more posts.”
He also mentioned that Vrabel having experience as a player is proven to help the team.
“Player to coach relationship kind of meshes really well with coaches that have played at one time. They know what it takes being out there,” Diggs said Friday. “I guess it would say it’s too much like being a robot – caught up in the numbers and X’s and O’s.
“Player-coaches know that if you’re out there, you can make plays, things come up differently. How you see things can be different if you were once a player. He was a big draw for me – seeing that he played the game of football and how well he played the game," Diggs continued. “He played with a standard. He played with some moxie. He had that energy. He played with a team and individuals that were great at what they do. Being around greatness and being greatness, it’s rubbing shoulders with it. I feel like it’s a good relationship to have especially when you’re out there, so trying to follow suit.”
While the Patriots were Diggs' only free agency visit, he was in communication with multiple other teams. But, he decided New England was the right fit.
"I had to figure out what I really wanted for myself and where I wanted to be for the rest of my legacy,” he explained. "I had to figure out what I really wanted for myself and where I wanted to be for the rest of my legacy,” he said. “And why not be a part of a winning organization, some place that definitely has a lot of talent and a coach that’s going to lead them in the right direction? So I’ve got a lot of respect for Vrabes, what he’s done as a player and what he’s done as a coach. I’ve seen him, and I look forward to working with him.”
If Friday was any indication, Diggs is ready to get to work with Vrabel and the rest of the team ahead of the 2025 season.
