Stefon Diggs finally broke his silence on Friday (January 2), speaking to reporters for the first time since news broke of criminal charges against him for allegedly assaulting a chef.
The New England Patriots star looked tired as he faced the media in the team’s locker room.
“It’s a very exciting moment,” Diggs said quietly. “It’s definitely a cold case, so I can’t even reveal anything.”
The wide receiver apologized for not being able to speak to reporters over the past few days. He said he would only answer questions about football moving forward.
“I’m just going to continue to be who I was. Try to finish the season strong,” Diggs explained. “We all deal with life, family stuff… Being a football team is hard. You stick together and rely on your brothers.”
Court documents show Diggs faces serious charges stemming from an incident that occurred on Dec. 2 at his home in Massachusetts. Police charged him with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery.
The charges involve Diggs’ personal chef, who told police there had been an ongoing dispute over money Diggs owed her. According to the police report, the woman claimed Diggs became angry while discussing the payment.
“She stated they began discussing the incident, which apparently angered the man,” police wrote in the report. “She claimed the man then hit her in the face.”
The woman told police that Diggs then tried to choke her with his elbow, causing her to have trouble breathing.
Diggs’ attorney, David Meyer, strongly denies the accusations. “Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations. They are unsubstantiated, unsubstantiated and have never been investigated – because they never happened,” Meyer said.
Lawyers called the timing suspicious and said the charges were made after “a financial dispute arose between the employee and the employer that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction.”
This isn’t Diggs’ only legal battle. He is also fighting a civil lawsuit against influential Christopher Blake Griffith, who has accused the NFL star of sexual assault. Diggs countersued Griffith for defamation, claiming the allegations were fabricated to attract attention.
The criminal charges come at a terrible time for Diggs’ personal and professional life. His arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 23, two days before the AFC Champions League game.
Meanwhile, his relationship with Cardi B continues to make headlines. The couple recently welcomed their first child but spent Christmas apart.
Cardi B took to social media to defend their relationship after critics questioned why Diggs was vacationing with her other children instead of her.
“Y’all want me to leave my man and be miserable,” Cardi B posted in response to the backlash.
