Stefon Diggs Nearly Joined This AFC Playoffs Foe Over Patriots Last Offseason

Stefon Diggs played an instrumental role in the New England Patriots making it to Super Bowl LX.

The four-time Pro Bowler not only led New England in targets (102), receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,013) during the regular season but gave the offense a veteran presence in the locker room.

Diggs revealed this week that he nearly joined the Patriots’ AFC Championship Game opponent — the Denver Broncos — over the offseason due in part to their head coach, Sean Payton.

“I played against Sean Payton a lot. I’ve seen what his offense can do. So, that was the one thing,” the pass-catcher said, according to the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “And then a couple of people on the staff that I knew. (Quarterbacks coach) Davis Webb, I was familiar with. He helped me out a lot in Buffalo as far as learning the plays. … That’s kind of how it ended up happening.”

Diggs added that in the end, New England’s decision to hire head coach Mike Vrabel last January, plus the presence of quarterback Drake Maye, influenced his final decision.

“And in weighing my options on what’s going to be the best, I also like coach (Vrabel.) I had a little bit of interaction with him at the Pro Bowl and stuff like that,” the 32-year-old said, per Callahan. “And they had a young quarterback. They both had young quarterbacks. When you weigh all the pros and cons, I felt the Patriots were probably going to be the best fit.”