In a year defined by bad news in Boston sports, the fact that Stefon Diggs is healthy enough to be practicing already stands out as a potential huge positive as the Patriots try to jumpstart their rebuild.
How Stefon Diggs goes will be how the Patriots go in 2025.
That’s an oversimplification, of course. But how an aging receiver performs as he returns from ACL surgery will have an unusually high impact on how big a step forward the Patriots can actually take.
If Diggs is good, and it doesn’t have to be 2020 peak Diggs, just something close to the player that started strong last year in Houston, the Patriots offense gets demonstrably better.
If he’s disruptive, selfish Stefon Diggs, the whole operation takes a step back.
There’s a lot of reason for optimism. He’s thrived early everywhere he’s been. If that’s true here, the rest of the New England receivers should collectively get better. They’ll all face either less or lesser defensive attention. And on top of that, they’ll learn from watching a guy who has been a very successful NFL player.
A productive Diggs should elevate Drake Maye in the present and the future. On the most basic level, having a good route runner/pass catcher will make it easier for Maye to be good from play to play.
The second-year QB recognized that right away.
“He made some plays out here today, it’s awesome being able to throw to a guy like that,” Maye said. “And even when you feel like he’s not open, he’s going to go make a play for you in tight coverage. He’s a strong receiver, going to make plays.”
And in the long run, if Diggs comes to the Patriots and has success, other talented receivers who have been skeptical in the past will look at playing with Maye in New England as a place where they can flourish.
Plus, Diggs being healthy early means Maye and the receivers are all learning the Josh McDaniels offense together and they won’t need to shoehorn Diggs’ learning process in later.
It says good things both about Diggs’ healing powers and his motivation that he is ready this soon. Diggs has a reputation as someone who likes the lifestyle of being a superstar as much as he likes being a great player. There’s nothing wrong with that if it doesn’t slow him down. It is impossible to come back as quickly as he did without prioritizing his rehab. His teammates have noticed.
“We talk about him all the time. It’s frigging impressive,” said Kendrick Bourne, comparing his ACL recovery to Diggs’. “From my experience, I was like, ‘Bro, I wasn’t even close to that.’
“But he’s worked hard,” Bourne added. “You can see the results.”
Diggs’ mindset matters as much as his knee. Maye might be promising, but he’s still very much unfinished. Diggs has to have the right balance of patience and urgency. He can be part of making Maye into a top NFL quarterback by pushing, not shoving, prodding him to improve while recognizing it’s not an instantaneous process.
If Diggs is not good or not bought in, the honeymoon could devolve in a hurry. A difficult Diggs could weigh the Patriots down every bit as much as the best version of him could lift them up.
On paper, even with Diggs, the Patriots’ receivers are below average. If he’s not good, some of the struggles they had last year could resurface as guys struggle to get open.
If Diggs expended all this energy rehabbing and doesn’t thrive, it could be ugly. Whether he’s frustrated at himself or his quarterback or the system or Josh McDaniels, he could disrupt the roster. This team doesn’t yet have a veteran culture to police that kind of thing. If a player of Diggs’ stature is making trouble, younger teammates are going to be influenced.
By all accounts, after things deteriorated with Josh Allen in Buffalo, Diggs was terrific with a young QB in Houston before the ACL ended Diggs’ season. The Patriots are hoping to get the same person and player he was with C.J. Stroud.
Diggs said he and Maye are growing right now.
“It’s still brand new. I don’t want to jump the gun,” Diggs said. “Spending time with the guy, getting to know him outside of football, always helps on the football field, so you can think how he thinks a little bit, see what he sees out there. You’re just getting ready for the bullets to fly. You can’t make any guarantees then. You just want to put yourself in the best situation to have success when it’s time. So I feel like right now, we’re building.”
The Crochet deal might be a little better than it originally looked
The success or failure of Red Sox move to acquire Garrett Crochet from the White Sox will be determined by whether he stays healthy and continues to pitch like a true ace. If that happens, it won’t matter what the Red Sox gave up.
A legit No. 1 is almost impossible to acquire and they got one.
That said…
Braden Montgomery, the former Boston top pick who was sent to the White Sox in that deal, was ranked No. 21 overall in Keith Law’s top 60 midseason prospects in The Athletic. That’s naturally a good thing for him. But Law’s analysis was notably concerning.
“He’s whiffing on pitches in the zone, including fastballs, much more than I anticipated, though, and that’s mildly concerning for an SEC product in High A, even giving him some grace for the injury and lost time. It hasn’t been improving with time, either, and that’s the main thing I need to see from him in the second half to hold my evaluation of him as a future 55 (above-average regular) in right field.”
If Montgomery doesn’t turn into a good Major Leaguer, then Crochet was a steal.
Hulk Hogan leaves behind complicated memories
If Hulk Hogan’s post-wrestling life had been a quiet, out-of-the-spotlight existence, the world would be mourning a fun, larger-than-life character who helped mainstream wrestling into popular culture after he died on Thursday.
At a time when every wrestler was a caricature, Hogan’s persona was the ultimate good guy, a never-give-up figure, who wrestled to inspire all the little Hulkamaniacs.
His scene as Thunderlips, the Ultimate Male, was among the most fun scenes in the entire Rocky franchise.
But as was so often true in wrestling, the good guys in the ring weren’t so good out of it (While many of the “bad guys” are/were terrific). And Terry Bollea, Hogan’s real name, wasn’t as lovable. Video, audio and reports of him using racial slurs began surfacing in 2007 and continued through the 2024 election when he used racial slurs about Kamala Harris.
So wrestling will mourn a great wrestler and the loss of a huge piece of its history, a character who helped turn the WWF/WWE into a multi-billion dollar enterprise after his death on Thursday. But they’ve been mourning the illusion of him being a great man for much longer than that.
Francona defends Guardians owner
Former Red So manager Terry Francona is about to join highly select company among major league managers who have won 2,000 career games. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)Getty Images
Now the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Terry Francona could have taken a pass when asked about Donald Trump demanding the Guardians and Commanders return to their former controversial nicknames rather than open himself up to the inevitable backlash working in a state that voted red.
But Francona told USA Today that he admired Cleveland owner Paul Dolan for trying to do the right thing.
“I was really proud of him, because I don’t think it was real popular with a segment of probably the older fans that kind of, I guess like Trump, ‘Why can’t it be like it used to be?’,” he said. “I guess my retort would be, ‘There’s probably a lot of people in this country who don’t want it like it used to be.’ And if you’re white, (you’re) probably just fine. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. I didn’t even care what they made the name in Cleveland. I really didn’t. I just know how I was in on those conversations, and we were trying to be respectful. And for that, I gave those guys a lot of credit.”
Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date
CATEGORY: Legal Before and After $600 Jan. 9, 2001
Controversial reproductive rights case involving a superstitious former Red Sox third baseman
— Answer below
The Top 5Top 5 Memorable Side Characters from the Rocky Franchise
Rocky Balboa is the archetype of Philly’s gritty identity. Photo by Screen Archives/Getty ImagesPhoto by Screen Archives/Getty Images
Hulk Hogan’s death brought to mind his one scene as Thunderlips, the Ultimate Male, which sparked this list.
5 – Cuff and Link
4 – Spider Rico
3 – Thunderlips
2 – Paulie’s Robot – “You’re the greatest. See ya sport.”
1 – Clubber Lang – Best sports movie villain ever?
Honorable mention. Ludmila Drago, Miles Jergens, Tony Grazzo, the chicken Rocky chased, Butkus, Punchy and Rocky’s son’s friends (We know. What do you think we are, nerds?)
Today in Boston Sports History
July 25
1941 — Boston’s Lefty Grove won his 300th career game over the Indians, 10-6.
Lightning roundStephon Diggs’ was not on the PUP list, but went viral for his interactions with a puppy. The gods of nerdy wordplay were bored on Wednesday.Best of luck to departing WHDH-7 Anchor Trey Daerr, who is headed for Arkansas. Good guy who handled an unimaginably tough year personally with impressive grace.I like the Daily Show with rotating hosts and Josh Johnson’s debut this week has been good.Ozzy Osbourne will live forever in sports arenas.If Mookie Betts really does miss all or part of this trip, there is a candlepin bowling alley somewhere in Massachusetts that is missing out on a good day financially.It seems to me if the Merritt Parkway rest stops are only going to have one of their two food outlets open at 11:30 p.m. that it would make more sense to have Dunkin, which sells caffeinated beverages, open instead of Subway. Who needs a lousy foot long in the middle of the night?Real Jeopardy! Question:
What is Roe vs. Wade Boggs?
Finally…
Happy National Hot Fudge Sundae Day to those who celebrate.
Celtics should stay out of the Ben Simmons business, which never ends wellJul. 22, 2025, 5:00a.m.With strike looming, Fenway concession workers have Red Sox players’ supportJul. 22, 2025, 5:00a.m.Time for Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick to act like adultsJul. 18, 2025, 5:00a.m.Sold-out TD Garden game fuels Connecticut Sun to Boston relocation talkJul. 16, 2025, 5:00a.m.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.