Patriots reportedly set to release Stefon Diggs after one season

March 04, 2026

The New England Patriots have informed wide receiver Stefon Diggs of their plans to release him when the NFL league year begins on March 11, 2026. Diggs, who signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract last March, posted a heartfelt message on Instagram acknowledging the move. This comes amid financial considerations and an ongoing legal case for the 32-year-old star.

Oh, the NFL drama never sleeps, darlings! Just when Stefon Diggs was serving up those Super Bowl looks with the New England Patriots, reports hit that the team is cutting ties after one stellar season. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Mike Reiss of ESPN, the Pats gave Diggs the heads-up on Wednesday, planning his release next week to dodge a $6 million guarantee and free up over $16 million in cap space. Business is business, but oof—talk about a plot twist! 💸

Diggs, the four-time Pro Bowler born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on November 29, 1993, joined New England ahead of the 2025 season after shining with the Vikings and Bills (where he led the league in receptions and yards in 2020). In his lone year with the Pats, he led the squad with 85 catches for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns— the first Patriot to hit 1,000 yards since Julian Edelman in 2019. He even added 14 receptions for 110 yards and a score in their playoff run to Super Bowl LX. Chemistry with QB Drake Maye? Chef's kiss. 👌

But off-field headlines stole the show too. Diggs pleaded not guilty in February 2026 to felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges from an alleged December 2025 dispute with his former personal chef in Dedham, Massachusetts. He and his team call it a financial spat, with a pre-trial hearing set for April 1. Sources say the legal woes aren't the main driver here—it's mostly the bag—but fans are side-eyeing the timing. 😏

Diggs spilled the tea himself on Instagram Stories: “THANK YOU for a hell of a year. We family forever ❤️ @patriots,” followed by “Until we meet again…8” with a red heart. Heartbreaking? Or just the start of his next chapter? Spill your thoughts—where's Diggs landing next?

人们在说什么

Initial reactions on X to the Patriots' decision to release Stefon Diggs after one season mix surprise from analysts who saw it as a good fit, acceptance citing cap space savings of $16.8M and off-field concerns like legal issues, criticism of media flip-flopping on Diggs' value, fan disappointment calling it a mistake, and memes portraying Diggs' recent string of misfortunes including injury, breakup rumors, Super Bowl loss, and court date.

My opinion on the Stefon Diggs release: Felt unlikely that the Patriots would get the same level of production out of him next season, and there was a clean out in the contract.

The Patriots feel one of their needs is offensive firepower, however, so they need a plan to replace…

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) 4 Maris, 2026

Diggs getting cut felt inevitable.

Patriots probably asked him to restructure and he told them to F off.

On-field performance was fine, so this had to be money + off-field. The preseason pink bag of drugs, the legal issues, then the unfollowing the team on socials… that’s when… https://t.co/diMhseXOXO

— Pete Collins (@Pete_Collins_) 4 Maris, 2026

The same local media gasbags who had serious reservations about Diggs signing a year ago are now crying about his release. You truly can’t make this stuff up.

When he signed: “Locker room issues.” “Too expensive.” “Declining production.”

When he’s released: “Huge loss.” “How do…

— Boston Radio Watch®️ (@bostonradio) 5 Maris, 2026

“I’m pretty surprised by it…It seemed like such a good fit and he seemed to like it so much…I gotta be honest, I didn’t see this one coming.”@DannyParkins reacts to the Patriots releasing Stefon Diggs: pic.twitter.com/TGcIVdGFbO

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) 5 Maris, 2026

来源

• https://hollywoodlife.com/2026/03/04/stefon-diggs-reportedly-fired-by-new-england-patriots/
• https://yogossip.com/stefon-diggs-released-from-new-england-patriots-contract-early-wide-receiver-shares-statement-138808.html
• https://theshaderoom.com/stefon-diggs-breaks-silence-patriots-reportedly-release-him-after-one-season/