The specific reason behind Stefon Digg’s excitement with the Buffalo Bills has been revealed days after the wide receiver returned to team practice following his absence earlier last week, which head coach Sean McDermott described as “deeply concerning.”
Diggs, 29, is rumored to be unhappy with his ‘role on offense’ and ‘vote in play-calling’, according to The Boston Globenearly five months after showing his frustrations to QB Josh Allen in Buffalo’s AFC Divisional Playoffs loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on January 22.
Diggs was back on the field practicing on Wednesday after missing the previous day, and Bills coach Sean McDermott said all of last season’s ongoing issues that caused concern and confusion over the absence of Buffalo’s best receiver a day earlier are dissolved.
For starters, McDermott said Diggs hadn’t skipped the team’s mandatory session on Tuesday, but was in fact excused. As for the issues that led to Diggs’ concerns in questioning his role on offense, the coach said the team and receiver are “in a really good place.”
McDermott made an unscheduled appearance with reporters after practice to answer questions about Diggs’ status, clarifying and expanding on the limited comments he made to help create the uproar a day earlier. Then he said he was “very concerned” about the receiver leaving the team’s facility and missing mandatory training.
Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs is ‘dissatisfied with his role on offense’ and ‘voice in play-calling’
Diggs, 29, showed early signs of tension with the team when he faced QB Josh Allen on January 22 in the Bills’ AFC Divisional Round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals
Diggs returned to practice on Wednesday, having missed Tuesday’s session. Pictured with Bill’s offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey
In preparing a timeline, McDermott said he and team officials had conversations with Diggs Monday and Tuesday to address recipient concerns. The team and player then agreed to take a break from talks, with McDermott saying he apologized to Diggs for practicing and picked up talks again later in the day.
“Sometimes you need to have conversations, you need communication and I appreciate that Stef is willing to communicate,” McDermott said. “And you must understand that Stef is a valuable member of this football team. He is one of our captains and a leader. … And I love him.’
While Diggs has yet to address reporters or publicly share his concerns, he was a welcome sight as he wore his No. 14 white practice jersey and shorts on his off-season practice debut. Diggs skipped the team’s earlier voluntary training sessions, which started in mid-April.
Diggs limited himself to participating in only the stretch and individual practice portions, watching team sessions from the sidelines, some of them with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. During a stretching session, Diggs reached out and shook quarterback Josh Allen’s hand.
McDermott said Diggs’ limited practice time was intended to “step him up” by the start of training camp. The Bills canceled their last mandatory session on Thursday and are off until they report to camp in suburban Rochester late next month.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott initially called Diggs’ absence on Tuesday ‘deeply concerning’
Diggs and Allen appeared to have buried their hatchets on Wednesday as they stretched out together
While McDermott did not disclose the details of his conversations with Diggs, Allen shed light on the issues a day earlier. The quarterback said Diggs’ concerns are unresolved issues that stem from last season, including more receiver involvement on offense and more input into game planning as one of the player’s concerns.
“I think there are some things that could have gone better last year and didn’t go,” said Allen. ‘I think as an organization we may not be communicating with everything in the right way.’
Diggs is entering his fourth season at Buffalo and last summer he was awarded a four-year, $96 million contract starting this season.
Since being acquired in a trade with Minnesota in March 2020, the 29-year-old has been one of the NFL’s most prolific receivers, combining for 365 catches for 4,189 yards and 29 touchdowns — one fewer than he had at Minnesota — in his three seasons in Buffalo.
Diggs had four receptions for 35 yards but no TDs in Buffalo’s playoff loss to the Bengals
Diggs’ production was disappointing in the latter part of last season, as he endured a three-game spell where he had 10 catches for 123 yards and no touchdowns. Otherwise, his 108 catches and 1,429 yards tied for second on the Bills single-season list, tying a team record with 11 touchdowns.
Diggs has posted several notes on social media in recent months hinting at his unhappiness. .
His frustrations spilled over after Buffalo’s 27–10 loss to Cincinnati at home when he immediately left the locker room before McDermott addressed the team, leading to teammate Isaiah McKenzie chasing Diggs and convincing him to return.
Bills center Mitch Morse was unaware of the issues Diggs was dealing with, though he was pleased—and not surprised—the two sides talked about it.
“They do what they have to do, which is maybe have awkward conversations, have some candor, which can be difficult at times, but in the end you appreciate it,” Morse said. ‘I want Stef and everyone to be the happiest version of themselves. He’s one of the best teammates I know.’