New England Patriots fans were accustomed to seeing Stefon Diggs dominate their favorite team for the good part of the previous four NFL campaigns. With that in mind, there was palpable excitement when the four-time wide receiver took his talents to Foxborough this past offseason.
The buzz has been followed by underwhelming early results, at least until now.
Diggs nearly matched his output across Weeks 1-3 combined in New England's 42-13 shellacking of the Carolina Panthers. The 11th-year veteran reeled in six of seven targets for 101 yards, marking the 37th time he's reached the century mark. However, it was notable that this was the first time he had done so in a Patriots uniform, as highlighted by the club's official X account.
.@Patriots WR Stefon Diggs has recorded his 37th career game with at least 100 receiving yards and his first as a Patriot. pic.twitter.com/Kr9TLdShLq
— Patriots Communications (@PatriotsComms) September 28, 2025
Performances like this are why the Patriots boldly signed a 31-year-old Diggs coming off a torn ACL to a three-year, $63.5 million contract in March. He turned back the clock in their blowout win over the Panthers and looked no worse for wear. His latest efforts are a clear sign that the ex-Buffalo Bills star is getting further removed from the issue and regaining pre-injury form
Patriots' Stefon Diggs vision comes to reality in blowout win vs. Panthers
New England got the Diggs of yore in their convincing defeat of the Panthers. He and Patriots quarterback Drake Maye connected early and often. Whether in the short-to-intermediate areas or deep plays, good things happened when they worked together, including generating multiple explosives.
New England's longest gain came on a 33-yard Diggs reception midway through the second quarter. He got multiple steps on his defender before Maye found him streaking the middle of the field and tossed a beautiful ball. The former did the rest from there, showcasing great after-the-catch skills and surprising quickness.
.@DrakeMaye2 beauty to Diggs 🎯
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/PQTfpot4S0
Even Maye was pleasantly surprised by how well Diggs appeared to be moving in the Pats' dismantling of the Panthers. The signal-caller had only positive takeaways from seeing his top target settle in when addressing the media afterward.
"[Diggs] looked a little faster than I thought," Maye told reporters. "He looked pretty fast. I think he's just getting more and more comfortable. He's a great player with the ball in his hands ... I'm glad he's a Patriot."
Uncoincidentally, the Patriots secured their first victory of the 2025 NFL campaign when Diggs established himself as Maye's go-to option. If the duo can maintain this momentum, New England will become a tougher out with each passing game.