New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs made a sudden attorney change one day before his arraignment hearing on serious charges. The switch occurred on February 12, 2026 ahead of the February 13 court appearance in Dedham District Court, Massachusetts.
Diggsfaces felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges from an alleged December 2, 2025 incident at his Framingham home involving a dispute with his female personal chef over salary.
Jan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) looks on before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Jan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) looks on before the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Court documents reveal that on December 16, the chef told police that Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom, became angry, slapped her, and choked her with an elbow around her neck, restricting her breathing and nearly causing her to black out.
He then threw her on the bed and said, “Thought so.” She reported redness on her chest but did not seek immediate medical attention or take photos of her injuries. Diggs was summoned to court without being arrested.
The arraignment, initially scheduled for January 23, was postponed to February 13 due to the NFL season, including Super Bowl LX, in which the Patriots lost 29-13 to the Seattle Seahawks.
In the playoffs, Diggs had 14 receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown in four games. During the regular season, he recorded 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in 17 games.
Diggs haschanged lawyers from Michael DiStefano to Sara Silva of Silva Kettlewell and Pignatelli LLP. Silva has over 20 years of trial experience and was named 2020 Lawyer of the Year by Boston University School of Law. The reason for the change is not disclosed, but court records indicate that the previous attorney withdrew.
Stefon Diggs changes his attorney one day before his arrangement hearing.
Details: https://t.co/3gGIc2sC1K pic.twitter.com/b7tkNyCmL1
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 13, 2026
At the February 13 hearing, Diggs pleaded not guilty and was released on personal recognizance, with orders to avoid all contact with the victim and surrender his passport. A pretrial conference is scheduled for April 1, 2026.
Attorney Mitchell Schuster, who has represented Diggs for years, stated after the hearing that he is confident the charges will be dropped, asserting that the allegations are false and related to a financial dispute.
Stefon Diggs faces fan backlash amid off-field controversy
Fans are unhappy with Stefon Diggs because his off-field actions are getting more attention than his on-field performance.
One fancommented, “Send this abuser to jail and throw away the key.”
A second fancommented, “He goin to jail.”
A third fancommented, “Bros lawyer hit him with this.”
A fourth fancommented, “Send his fruity pebble ass to jail already.. and throw away the key.”
A fifth fancommented, “That clown deserve permanent bench time.”
This case emphasizes the off-field challenges NFL stars like Stefon Diggs face. The legal process is ongoing and could impact his role with the Patriots under the league’s personal conduct policy review.