New Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs said he’s got “a lot of love” for Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. The comments come despite rumors of discontent leading up to the April trade that ended their four-year partnership.
Diggs spoke publicly for the first time since the blockbuster deal on Tuesday, saying Allen helped him reach a new level following his time with the Minnesota Vikings.
“When I left Minnesota, I was a good player. But I always felt more for myself. I felt like I was better than that. And that I could be better than that. And kind of up to that point, I was just like ‘S—, I’m going to roll the dice and bet on myself,’” Diggs told reporters. “When I got to Buffalo, Josh was and still is my guy. People don’t really understand what it’s like to be out there. He really embraced me. We spent a lot of time together and I probably wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for him.”
Diggs, Allen Trade Positive Comments About Time Together
The 30-year-old University of Maryland product continued to heap praise on the quarterback who helped him earn NFL First Team All-Pro honors in 2020.
Stefon Diggs:
“Josh [Allen] is my guy. He kinda had that southern hospitality. I probably wouldn’t be here with out him. I got a lot of love for that boy. Ya’ll give him a hug and a kiss for me.” pic.twitter.com/R0vEJpDAaC
— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) June 4, 2024
Allen, 28, also took the high road when asked to discuss the four-time Pro Bowl receiver, recalling a text message he sent Diggs after the trade.
“Just thanking him for everything that he did for me,” Allen said in April. “I’ll always have a spot in my heart for him and I’ll always love him like a brother and wish him nothing but the best.”
Issues Between Diggs, Allen Began To Mount In Recent Years
Evidence their on-field relationship was starting to crumble became amplified after Buffalo’s 27-10 playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals at the end of the 2022 season. Cameras caught Diggs engaged in an animated one-way rant directed toward the perennial MVP candidate.
Stefon Diggs exchanging some words with Josh Allen on the sideline pic.twitter.com/J2heSTBMrc
— NFL on CBS
(@NFLonCBS) January 22, 2023
The veteran pass-catcher then skipped a portion of the the Bills offseason program ahead of the 2023 campaign. He returned for the start of training camp, but it apparently didn’t take long for the lingering problems to pop back up.
In April, Tim Graham of The Athletic reported Diggs made a comment toward Allen after Buffalo’s Week 1 loss to the New York Jets last season that caused a strong reaction from the signal-caller:
After the #Bills week 1 loss to the #Jets, Josh Allen reportedly snapped at Stefon Diggs in the locker room when Diggs said something to Allen…
“It’s one f*****g game!” Allen told Diggs.
Also in a story written by @ByTimGraham, Stefon Diggs “wore out” the #Bills, some said… pic.twitter.com/eY6S4Uspnl
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) April 5, 2024
Meanwhile, Diggs’ play on the field took an abrupt turn for the worse in the middle of the 2024 campaign. Here’s a look at the breakdown:
- First 8 Games: 64 catches for 748 yards and 6 TD
- Last 9 Games: 43 catches for 435 yards and 2 TD
He also made a critical drop late in the team’s 27-24 playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in January. He finished that game with three catches for 21 yards.
Buffalo began to lean more heavily on wide receiver Khalil Shakir and tight end Dalton Kincaid. It was the early signs of a youth movement that saw both Diggs and fellow wideout Gabe Davis leave during the offseason. Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a free agent.
The final sign Diggs’ days with the Bills were numbered came on the eve of his trade to Houston when he replied to a post on X (formerly Twitter) about his importance to Allen’s success:
Here we go again pic.twitter.com/JokrmTEcCu
— LastWordOnNFL (@LastWordOnNFL) April 3, 2024
Bills, Texans Face Off During 2024 Season
Discussion about the Diggs-Allen relationship will probably move to the back burner for awhile, but it certainly makes the Week 5 matchup between the Texans and Bills a lot more interesting. Will they interact before the game? After it?
Not to mention the contest itself could ultimately have lasting implications on the AFC playoff race with Buffalo trying to remain a top-tier championship contender and Houston trying to reach that level in the second year of the C.J. Stroud era.
In the end, Diggs arrived to the Bills when Allen desperately needed a true No. 1 wide receiver to reach the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks. Now the question is whether he can maintain that status with his longtime favorite target out of the picture.
Main Image: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The post Stefon Diggs Praises Josh Allen Amid Rumors of Fractured Relationship After Bills-Texans Trade appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.