The New England Patriots played the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football in Week 5, and one thing was immediately clear from the start of the game: Stefon Diggs wasn’t going to let the Patriots lose the game. The star receiver, who played four seasons with the Bills, was determined to win in his return to Buffalo, and he did just that, catching 10 passes for 146 yards, as New England won 23-20.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Diggs had such a dominant outing against his former team, because the receiver’s history has shown that he’s at his best when seeking revenge. Including Sunday night’s performance, Diggs’ last two games with 125+ yards came against former teams.
The other time was in 2022, as a member of the Bills, when he faced off against the Minnesota Vikings for he first time since they traded him to Buffalo.
The last two times Stefon Diggs has had 125+ receiving yards:
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) October 6, 2025
11/13/22 - First game against Minnesota after joining Buffalo
10/5/25 - First game against Buffalo after joining New England pic.twitter.com/bJ79QWmSeP
Stefon Diggs is at his best when he’s seeking revenge
If the Patriots could just bottle this version of Diggs, or somehow trick him into believing that every opponent is a former team of his, New England might go undefeated for the rest of the year. Seriously, though, the wideout admitted that Sunday’s game was 100% personal, and it was evident in his play.
While the Patriots won’t be playing the Bills, Vikings, or Houston Texans every week, there’s reason to believe that Diggs will continue to show up big for New England. Week 5 was his second game in a row with over 100 receiving yards, and he is seemingly improving by the week.
It’s easy to forget that Diggs tore his ACL on October 27, which is less than a year ago. Add in the fact that he is with a new team, and it makes sense that he’s playing his way back to his best form.
A mindset of revenge accelerated that journey, as Diggs looked to be at his best against the Bills. Hopefully, the receiver will maintain that level and lead the Patriots to move victories.