The New England Patriots entered the offseason with two clear priorities: Find a new head coach and get quarterback Drake Maye some offensive help.
The team quickly checked off the first box by hiring former Tennessee Titans head coach — and former Patriots linebacker — Mike Vrabel to replace Jerod Mayo.
It took a little longer, but the Patriots finally got Maye a WR1 when they signed Stefon Diggs to a three-year, $69 million deal in free agency.
Now, Patriots fans are learning more about the dinner that helped seal the deal with the four-time Pro Bowler.
Patriots VP Reveals Meeting That Led to Stefon Diggs Signing
Appearing on the “Up & Adams Show” hosted by Kay Adams during the NFL owners meetings, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf talked about what made Diggs such a good fit in New England.
“You know, Stefon is obviously someone I’ve admired for a long time. He played for the [Minnesota] Vikings while I was in Green Bay, and we weren’t able to contain him much. And then [the same thing was true] when he was in Buffalo,” Wolf said.
“He became available, some things came together, we met with him. It was a phenomenal dinner meeting with him,” he continued.
Adams asked if Wolf remembered what Diggs ordered, but he said he didn’t because he was too focused on recruiting the receiver.
She then asked what Wolf was trying to learn from Diggs during the dinner, since it was a more relaxed setting.
“It was pretty casual — there weren’t any really specific questions. We got into what he was looking for and what we’re looking for. It’s really just about the fit, and just seeing the authenticity of the player. He’s a great guy, and he knows what he wants. He’s a competitor. So, all those things fit together for us to make it happen.”
Stefon Diggs' dinner that turned him into a Patriot
New England's Executive VP Eliot Wolf opens up on why they signed Stefon.@heykayadams | @Patriots pic.twitter.com/wdFYKTtpPy
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) March 31, 2025
Last season, the Patriots’ leading receiver wasn’t even a wide receiver. Tight end Hunter Henry led the team with 674 receiving yards. The top wideout was DeMario Douglas with 621 yards. Diggs, despite playing just eight games for the Houston Texans, had 496 yards — which would’ve ranked fourth on the Patriots.
Health will be the biggest thing to watch with Diggs. He’s coming off a torn ACL in 2024 but is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery. Videos from his Instagram showed him back in the weight room just five months after the injury.
If you project Diggs’ 2024 stats over a full 17-game season, he would have recorded 100 catches (which would’ve tied for ninth in the NFL with Drake London and Jaxon Smith-Njigba), six touchdowns, and 1,054 yards — all numbers that would’ve led the Patriots last season.
Diggs has always thrived as the top option, and he looks like a great fit for what Vrabel and Wolf are building. If he can help Maye grow the way he helped Josh Allen become one of the league’s best in Buffalo, his contract will be worth every dollar.