Mike Reiss
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs deflected questions about his viral boat video that led coach Mike Vrabel to stress the importance of good decision-making, saying it was personal and handled internally.
“I want to be as candid with you as possible, but I kind of have a thing where I don’t talk about my personal life with people I don’t know personally,” Diggs said Tuesday at mandatory minicamp, in his first public remarks since the video surfaced. “I had a conversation with [Mike] Vrabel, obviously, and I’m going to echo everything that he said. He told me he’s hoping everybody is making good decisions.
“And I had a conversation with people in the building as well. So everything else is everything else. The particulars are all internal.”
In the video, Diggs was surrounded by three women and flashed a clear bag that included an unidentified pink substance. Diggs declined to comment when asked to clarify what was in the bag.
“Obviously, it’s a conversation that’s happening internal, which I can’t have too much of a conversation with [you] about it,” he said. “I’ve been in this league 10 years. You can format your question many different ways, I’m going to obviously answer it the same way.”
Diggs wouldn’t reveal if he knew the video on the boat was being recorded or if he regrets it happened.
As for football, Diggs, 31, acknowledged that he “hasn’t been around much” during the Patriots’ spring voluntary workouts. He is not fully cleared since tearing his right ACL in Week 8 of last season with the Houston Texans and pointed out that this past Saturday marked seven months since he underwent surgery.
Asked if his plan is to be ready for the Sept. 7 season opener against the Raiders, Diggs said: “We’ll see how it goes. Obviously, I’m grinding each and every day. I’m eager to get out there, so whenever they do push the button, I’m going to be ready. … Where I am right now, I wouldn’t really put a percentage on it, but I got some work to do.”
Diggs shared that his confidence has grown since the beginning of his rehabilitation. In the time that he has been on the field this spring with the Patriots, he has led the team’s receivers in individual drills before working off to the side during team portions of practice.
Vrabel seemed encouraged by Diggs’ work and presence over the past couple of weeks.
“He’s trying to figure out where everything is, and what his role is, and making sure that as we add those situations — the third down, the no-huddle and red zone — that he’s staying up on it, working hard in his rehab,” he said. “Certain drills he can be out there, and there’s certain drills that he won’t be, but I think he’s engaged and I like his energy.”
