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Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots.
New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs could likely face punishment after being hit with criminal charges of strangulation or suffocation, and assault and battery.
Exactly when the NFL hands down any punishment could play a big role for the playoff hopes of the Buffalo Bills — and all other AFC teams.
The Bills are going into the final week of the regular season with only playoff seeding on the line, having already lost the AFC East to the Patriots with last week’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bills have plenty of question marks, including just how much time the starters could see against the New York Jets.
The timing of any punishment for Diggs could also impact not only Buffalo’s playoff seeding, but also their chances of finally breaking through to reach the Super Bowl.
NFL Insiders Expect Punishment
While the allegations against Diggs are playing out through the legal system and the Patriots receiver has maintained his innocence, many NFL insiders expect some form of punishment to be handed down. The league has wide latitude to punish players who face serious allegations, even when they are not convicted of crimes.
Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald noted that the NFL has issued more immediate punishment to players in some situations.
“That happened with Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers last season four days after being arrested and pleading not guilty on assault, strangulation and drug charges,” Kyed wrote. “Peppers was removed from the commissioner’s exempt list after seven games, because the baseline suspension for a violation of the personal conduct policy involving the actions for which he was accused is six games.”
Kyed noted that if the league decides to punish Diggs soon, it would have a big impact on New England’s playoff hopes.
“Obviously, there are bigger matters at play here, but if Diggs is placed on the commissioner’s exempt list, it hurts the Patriots’ offense in a major way,” Kyed wrote. “The Patriots are already without wide receiver Mack Hollins until the AFC Championship Game. If Diggs also misses time due to his legal matter, it leaves the Patriots with wide receivers Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism on the 53-man roster, and Jeremiah Webb, John Jiles and Brandon Smith on the practice squad.”
If that’s the case, it could have a big impact on the Bills as well. Buffalo goes into the final weekend in the No. 7 spot, which would put them on course to face the Patriots in the first round.
Other Factors at Play for Stefon Diggs, Patriots and Bills
There are other factors that will impact playoff hopes for both the Patriots and Bills. One is Buffalo’s approach to the final game of the season, where the team could rest starters and risk a loss to the Jets that would cement them into the No. 7 spot instead of the chance to climb to No. 6 or No. 5, which would likely avoid a first-round game against the Patriots.
The league also could take a slower approach with Diggs, which would keep New England’s roster intact for the playoffs. The NFL took that approach when Bills edge rusher Von Miller faced similar charges in 2023, not handing down his suspension until nearly 10 months later.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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