Cameras caught Buffalo Bills star wideout Stefon Diggs expressing frustration on the sidelines during the team's 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, a moment that didn't go unnoticed with NFL fans.
But quarterback Josh Allen told reporters Diggs was upset with himself, not his teammates or coaches.
"People are throwing different ideas about what he was mad at on the sideline. He was mad at himself for running the wrong release on a route. He's a competitor, he's a fiery competitor. I'm tired of hearing all this nonsense from people. There's a lot of guys in the league who have that fire who don't get talked about. He's a lot of our juice on the sideline, making sure the offense is staying up and as energized as possible, and we feed off that."
Diggs, 29, is going to face extra scrutiny after an offseason of rumors that he was unhappy in Buffalo, namely with the play-calling and his offensive role, especially after he missed a mandatory workout.
Diggs denied those rumors while speaking to reporters in late July, however:
"For me to just want more say in the offense is crazy because I play receiver. I don't care what play is called. I can't get up there and say call it. It's a lot of outlandish, obvious things that people were throwing out there or people were saying as far as my role. ... As a player, who I am and what I am has always been represented, and what I do on a consistent basis, how hard I work. You can see it. And my teammates speak highly about me in that regard, especially considering I've been a captain ever since I got here. As far as me wanting to have say-so on the play calls, that is insane. I couldn't call a play to save my life."
Diggs added that his main focus was to win a Super Bowl and that he was frustrated with the team's performance in a season-ending loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs. But he noted that he had no intention to leave Buffalo.
"Forcing my way out of anywhere is not my goal. I don't feel like I have to at this point. I feel like I'm in a great space, a great place, I'm loved, and I'm appreciated," he told reporters in July. "At the end of the day, that's all I want. That's all anybody would want in any job that you do."
Diggs has continued to thrive with Allen and the Bills. He was a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons with the team and a first-team All-Pro in the 2021 campaign, setting career highs in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) while adding eight touchdowns.
In each of his first three seasons in Buffalo, he's notched at least 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards. He's also hit double-digit touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.
He's already having another huge year, with 39 catches for 520 yards and five touchdowns through five games. That has him on pace to haul in 132 receptions for 1,768 yards and 17 scores.
He may not keep up that pace, but he remains one of the NFL's most dangerous weapons. And he clearly holds him to a high standard, given his reaction after he apparently went with the wrong release on a route.
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