FOXBOROUGH – A year removed from an ACL injury, Stefon Diggs’s recovery has been impressive this season with the Patriots.
The former Pro Bowler is on pace for another 1,000-yard season and has been a go-to receiver for Drake Maye. It’s been an impressive performance from Diggs, considering his age (31) and the serious knee injury he suffered last year.
To make it more impressive, Diggs also revealed he’d been dealing with a broken finger this season. While speaking about Maye’s accuracy, Diggs explained he was grateful for how the quarterback threw the ball in part because of the finger injury.
“I broke my finger like a couple weeks ago,” Diggs said. “So, I was just telling him like, ‘Hey, you know, I love the way you throw. I really appreciate you.’ Like, I mean, I don’t got nothing against you putting a little extra mustard on it here and there to fit it in a hole. I should have caught that one in the game (against the Jets). I was mad at myself for that.
“He has one of those basketball (shot throws). When you shoot the ball, and how you shoot, like people who got a good shot, they got a good shot. But he has the ability to put that touch on the ball and make it very easy to catch. I appreciate that.”
This season, Diggs leads the Patriots in receptions (59) and receiving yards (659). He’s been extremely sure-handed, catching 81.9% of his targets. He entered this week ranked 10th in the NFL in receptions.
Diggs is coming off his third 100-yard game after catching nine passes for 105 yards against New York last week. To make that performance even more impressive, Diggs is dealing with a broken finger.
When asked about breaking the finger, Diggs said, “Yeah, something like that. Don’t worry about it. Least of my worries.”
It’s unknown when Diggs suffered the broken finger, but the receiver’s playing time has never dipped below 50% of the offensive snaps this season. The veteran is on pace to finish with 91 receptions and 1,018 yards this season.
Diggs suffered his torn ACL last season on Oct. 27 and said it’s been a year since he had surgery to repair the knee. His recovery – and toughness – has been a big story for the Patriots.
“It’s been an ongoing process even throughout the season as far as training and getting my body where I need it, where it needed to be,” Diggs said. “So, I wasn’t necessarily surprised. I was just more so like, I was prepared. I worked for it. Here we are. Let’s go.”
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