FOXBOROUGH – For ten months, Stefon Diggs worked and waited.
After suffering a torn ACL on October 27, the veteran receiver had surgery and then hit the rehab process hard this offseason. Diggs, 31, surprised many when he started training camp on time in New England.
This past weekend, the Pro Bowler was back on the field with the Patriots. This marked his first game action since suffering the knee injury. On Wednesday, Diggs said he was grateful to be back.
“It felt good. I actually missed the contact portion as far as getting hit a little bit,” Diggs said. “I look forward to getting back out there. I’m more thankful than anything. I hate losing, obviously, wasn’t too happy about that, but at the same time, took a lot from it as far as me getting back out there, getting acclimated again, getting some contact, catching the ball again. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Patriots eased Diggs into training camp this summer. In Week 1, it looked like they did the same. The veteran played 41% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps and played less than Kayshon Boutte (82%), DeMario Douglas (63%), and Mack Hollins (56%).
However, Diggs was still one of the Patriots’ most productive pass catchers in their loss to the Los Angeles Raiders. He tied for the team high with six catches on seven targets and finished with 57 receiving yards
Diggs said he was “seeking out contact” to start that first game, adding that he needed it and he felt “strong.”
“We weren’t winning, so I couldn’t be too happy. But as far as like, this isn’t a selfish sport, to me, I took a moment to be grateful and kind of bask in the ambiance of where I was,” Diggs said. “I love doing what I love. Try to play at a high level, getting open, catching the ball. I had my moments of, ‘Damn, I missed it so much.’ I’m just so thankful to be back where I love to be. I had that moment, but at the same time, we were losing, so it was bittersweet.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.