The NFL has always been better when rivals from the same division hate each other.
League ratings for games in the NFC East are always going to be higher compared to those in the South. In the AFC East, though, the hatred that comes from most rivalries hasn't really been there in recent years.
A big part of that, of course, has been the fact that one team has won the last five division titles.
The Buffalo Bills have laid claim to the AFC East for five straight years now and are favored to make it a sixth this upcoming season.
But the rivalry around the division is going to get a lot bigger moving forward. Especially after former Bills All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots on Tuesday.
Diggs moving back to the East after the Bills shipped him to Houston is significant. Before the trade, Diggs had been one of the best receivers in all of football. With each passing playoff loss, though, Diggs became more and more frustrated in the team's inability to reach the Super Bowl.
It got so bad that the Bills simply chose to move on.
Related: Bills Explain Owner Terry Pegula's 'Analytical' Look at NFL Draft
"I've got a lot of love for (Diggs). I still do," Josh Allen said last year after the trade. "The things that he did for me in my career, and the things that he did in a Buffalo Bill uniform won't be forgotten anytime soon, especially from me."
With Diggs now on the arch-enemy, that won't endear him to many fans of Bills Mafia at the very least.
And it'll make for an exciting two games when the Patriots and Bills see each other next season.
Related: Bills Add Josh Allen Weaponry In 10-TD WR Via Mock
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM.