It's no secret that there aren't many believers in the 2025 New England Patriots, and despite their impressive success that nobody could have predicted, the doubters remain the loudest voices this postseason.
It's nothing new for the team, which has been historically successful, and now that they have gotten out of their five-year hole, the haters are back in full force and won't give credit where credit is due, no matter what they have accomplished.
That is, in part, what has created a strong bond with this season's roster, and nobody has been more vocal about that than wide receiver Stefon Diggs. A controversial figure coming into his first year in New England, he has been a glue in the locker room and an instant leader to keep his teammates motivated, and that remains the case going into the divisional round next weekend against the Texans.
It prompted Diggs to send a pointed message to those few fans and members of the media who might be jumping on the Patriots bandwagon now that they're just one game away from the AFC Championship, and it's something the fans will love to hear.
Stefon Diggs reveals a chip on the Patriots' shoulder that fans will love to hear about
While speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon, the receiver was asked about his pregame speech from Sunday night's win over the Chargers, in which he proclaimed that nobody believed in his team.
Although that seems fairly obvious to anyone who has paid attention to this season, Diggs explained himself, and he basically echoed what many Patriots fans have been saying all season long, especially now that they're in the postseason.
Stefon Diggs on his pregame speech “Nobody likes us, nobody believes in us”:
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) January 12, 2026
“Do you think thats true?… Nobody really liked us. Nobody believed in us. We were a young team, we got a young quarterback and throughout the season we grew together… so why I said it is because it’s… pic.twitter.com/BkWSFgEpX8
Considering how the team has fared over the last five years, you'd think it would be easy for fans and reporters to be excited about how they've played this year. But Diggs is right: there weren't many believers on this team, and it's too late now to change their minds.
On top of that, the team buying into this mentality and essentially having a chip on their shoulder can fuel their success for the rest of the playoffs, as it has done plenty of times for the Patriots in the past, even when Tom Brady was under center.
It'll be interesting to see how the discussion goes leading up to the divisional round next weekend, especially since it's now official that the Texans will be headed to Foxboro.
New England is already favored in the eyes of bettors, albeit by a small margin, but it wouldn't be surprising to see all those who shouted the Patriots' praises after beating the Chargers change their tune with the Texans coming to town.
Regardless, fans will need to be loud and proud at Gillette Stadium next Sunday afternoon, even louder than they were this past weekend, and the team will need to be at its best to add another win to their season.