Throughout the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era in New England, the Patriots were the most dominant force in the NFL, with only a few teams managing to overcome them. It led to a record number of divisional wins, six Super Bowl championships, and numerous accolades accumulated by the historically mediocre franchise.
It led to some fiery rivalries over the years because of that success, with the AFC East being near the top of the list. The Patriots were the big brother of the division, and although they occasionally had trouble with their closest foes, especially the Dolphins, they reigned supreme enough for it to be more of a one-sided rivalry, with those consistently losing being the ones at a disadvantage.
So, when Brady left the team in 2020 and the Patriots' demise officially began, it was no surprise that the Bills took over their position as the leader of the division and have now become their biggest competition as they strive to regain relevance.
It has prompted Buffalo to act as if they are untouchable and have somehow slayed the beast that was the Patriots, instead of understanding that Brady's departure, along with some of the most prominent players of the dynasty era, isn't what catapulted them into owning the division.
Because of this increasingly heated feud over the last five years, the announcement of the Patriots' signing former Bills receiver Stefon Diggs brought out the petty side of Patriots Nation, which is becoming even more enjoyable as the days pass.
Patriots fans made sure to troll the Bills after New England signed Stefon Diggs
Because there is never a shortage of opportunities to remind Buffalo fans just how irrelevant they were during the Brady era, it didn't take long for Diggs' signing to reignite the fiery wrath that had been sparked by battling fans online.
It resulted in numerous posts of a now-infamous screenshot from last season's matchup between the Bills and Texans, where Diggs appears to be giving his former quarterback, Josh Allen, the side-eye.
Stefon Diggs knowing he gets to face the Bills twice a year. pic.twitter.com/uiWkuChSnS
— Thomas Carrieri (@Thomas_Carrieri) March 25, 2025
Patriots fans have been trolling Bills fans with the image, especially since now Diggs will have the opportunity to face his former team twice a season for the next three years.
Although he achieved considerable success with Buffalo from 2020 to 2023, his tenure didn't end on a particularly high note, with Diggs seemingly forcing his way out by being traded to the Texans before the 2024 season.
It appeared to be a move long overdue, as numerous moments of tension between the receiver and Allen had been evident during games over the past two years, notably as their playoff losses continued to accumulate.
That might have also been the reason for Diggs' first post to Instagram after the news broke about him signing with the Patriots, which fans loved to see, as well.
Stefon Diggs' first Instagram post after signing with the Patriots: pic.twitter.com/y2trYliQlw
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) March 25, 2025
Now, Diggs has the chance to be the leading force of the Patriots' offense with Drake Maye, as he will inexplicably be the WR1 that the team has longed for since Julian Edelman retired after the 2020 season.
That should result in great camaraderie in the locker room and will, hopefully, not lead to any drama that some fans are concerned about. Diggs' time with the Texans in 2024 was noticeably smooth, with coaches singing his praises before and after his ACL injury.
That's exactly what New England needs in their locker room and receiving corps, and it's going to be thrilling to see the kind of magic Maye will produce on offense this fall.