Stefon Diggs is ready for an emotional return to Buffalo in Week 5
Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs is ready for a whole host of emotions in his return to Buffalo this weekend, when New England pays a visit to the Bills for a Sunday Night Football showdown.
Diggs had four Pro Bowl seasons in a Bills uniform from 2020-21, and was named an All-Pro first teamer in 2020 when he led the NFL with 127 receptions and 1535 receiving yards for quarterback Josh Allen. But his relationship with the Bills wasn't always rosy, and Diggs was traded to the Houston Texans ahead of the 2024 season.
Diggs already got a chance to play the Bills last season with the Texans, when he caught six passes for 82 yards in a 23-20 Houston win. But going back to Buffalo will be different, especially as an AFC East rival.
Diggs doesn't hold any grudges against the Bills, and said he still has a lot of love for Buffalo, the fanbase, and the players he once shared the field with. But he's an emotional player, and the emotions will be high when Diggs takes the field at Highmark Stadium on Sunday.
"It's going to be a little bit emotional," Diggs said at his locker in New England on Wednesday. "I'm going to try to keep the main thing the main thing, but it's my first time back there. It's going to be a hell of an atmosphere. I played there a long time.
"Obviously, I miss those guys over there. You spend a lot of time with people, it becomes more personal than professional," Diggs added.
Diggs caught over 100 passes and had over 1,000 receiving yards in all four of his seasons with the Bills to go with 37 touchdowns. He was asked Wednesday if he wanted to leave the Bills ahead of last season.
"It's the nature of the business, I guess," Diggs replied. "Obviously, it was hard for me. It was a difficult time. I spent a lot of time there, built a lot of bonds, a lot of friendships. It's going to be emotional. I look forward to going back, seeing those guys. It's just the nature of the business. I'm not in control. I get open. I catch the ball."
Stefon Diggs on the Drake Maye-Josh Allen comparisons
Diggs will be looking to catch a lot of footballs from Drake Maye on Sunday against his former team. He's coming off his best game in a Patriots uniform in Week 4, when he had six receptions for 101 yards in New England's 42-13 win over the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium.
Maye is off to a strong start to his second NFL season, and continues to be compared to Allen in Buffalo given their big builds, booming arms, and their ability to burn teams with their legs. Diggs sees the similarities, but doesn't want to compare Maye to Allen.
"I was with a young Josh, obviously, he wasn't that young. I'm with a young Drake now. I see the similarities," said Diggs. "I try not to get into player comparisons at all. They're two different young men.
"But I see why they say that, they play with that similar mindset, that dog mindset," he added. "I see Drake coming along the same way."