Nothing to see here.
That’s what Josh Allen told Pat McAfee on Wednesday about the alleged Stefon Diggs drama, with the Bills quarterback saying he was “never” worried about the wide receiver’s future in Buffalo.
“Our communication’s an all-time high, just understanding some of our concepts better, making sure that we’re talking and have an open line of communication,” Allen said.
“The energy and juice that he’s had this training camp and as we’re going to into the season is at an all-time high. I love playing with him, we’re going to continue to grow and get better and I think this is going to be our best year yet. I really believe that.”
The questions started in January following the Bills’ 27-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
Diggs was caught on the sidelines during the game seeming to vent his frustration with Allen, as the two connected for just 35 yards on the day despite 10 targets.
“Want me to be okay with losing ? Nah,” Diggs tweeted. “Want me to be okay with our level of play when it’s not up to the standard ? Nah.
“It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”
Diggs appeared in March on HBO’s “The Shop: Uninterrupted” and said “it doesn’t make sense” why Buffalo hasn’t advanced to the AFC Championship game the last two years — “like I will rack my brain with this s–t at this point.”
“I think it’s more execution than anything,” Diggs said. “S–t is small little pieces on why s–t is not going right. You can rack your brain, like we got the players. We got the plays. Why s–t ain’t coming together?”
In April, Diggs skipped the Bills’ voluntary offseason workouts.
Fast forward to June, when Diggs skipped a mandatory minicamp workout, prompting Bills head coach Sean McDermott to say he was “very concerned” about the wideout’s absence.
Things didn’t get better when Allen added to the mess.
“I know internally we’re working on some things. Not football-related, but Stef, he’s my guy,” Allen said, according to Albert Breer. “Excuse my…I f–king love him. He’s a brother of mine. This does not work, what we’re doing here, without him.”
Diggs returned to practice the next day and posted cryptic messages on social media regarding his absence.
“I just be letting people cap. If them lies help you sleep better tell em big dawg,” the first message read.
“My phone been silent for like 6 years. Ion play all them sounds and s–t,” the follow-up post stated.
According to the Boston Globe, Diggs had been unhappy with his “role in the offense” and “voice in play-calling,” which aligns with some of the frustration that the 29-year-old wideout visibly displayed near the end of the 2022 season.
On top of that, ESPN NFL analyst Robert Griffin III appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show” following Bills minicamp and threw some gasoline on the fire.
“I think it’s clear this is a personal thing between Josh and Diggs, and they have to get their partnership back on the field, and that’s part of playing quarterback,” Griffin said.
Before training camp in July, Allen tried to put the issue to rest during an appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast.
“I love (Diggs). That’s my guy,” Allen said.
“The media has blown this so far out of proportion … We’re not playing a game for four months. He doesn’t show up for one day. [The media] is still talking about it. Let it go. There’s no reason to continue talking about it. He’s on the field with us the next day. It was not a big deal.”
After arriving at Bills training camp, Diggs said he was all good with McDermott and Allen.
“I feel like we are on the same page moving forward. Like I said, it’s all water under the bridge. I know you guys haven’t spent too much time with me all offseason and I missed you guys too, but all is well in the Mafia household.”
But that didn’t stop ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith from rehashing the Diggs storyline last week.
“Brother wants out, I’m just telling you what I know,” Smith said. “He don’t want to be in Buffalo anymore. I have my sources. Stefon Diggs has got to be there but he’d prefer to be gone because he’s lost a level of belief in the Buffalo Bills.”
Diggs denied Smith’s reporting directly in posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“100% not true,” Diggs wrote. “I don’t know who the source is but I thought (I’d) nip this s–t in the bud already.”
He also posted: “Rocking wit my dawgs… Bills mafia through and through !!!”
Diggs signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension in April 2022.
He’s coming off five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, the last three of which came in Buffalo.
It’s also worth noting the Bills have won the AFC East division title in each of the last three seasons.
Buffalo is banking on another big year from Diggs in the hopes of returning to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2020 season.
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