Stefon Diggs joined the Vikings in the 2015 draft, which was perhaps Rick Spielman’s best move as Vikings general manager, considering the low cost of a fifth-rounder.
It was also likely his best draft in general. The receiver quickly contributed to the offense in his debut season and developed into the star we now know over the years.
Stefon Diggs Reveals Reason for his Departure from Minnesota
Diggs logged 720 yards in his rookie season, followed by 903 yards as a sophomore and 849 yards in his third year in 2017.
The Maryland alumnus was flying under the radar from a national perspective, but Vikings fans knew the kind of potential he had even before he emerged as the hero in the 2017 divisional-round playoff game when he scored the unforgettable Minneapolis Miracle. A pass thrown by Case Keenum, who is now his teammate in Houston but also spent some time with him in Buffalo.
That move to Buffalo was a strange one, as the Vikings were the superior team in 2019 and had a much stronger passing attack than Josh Allen’s Bills before the QB’s breakout. But Diggs wanted out. Folks have been speculating whether it was Kirk Cousins, the offensive scheme, or the relationship with the coaches.
“They treated me like a No. 1, but at times, they played me small. It was kinda of like a mind game, as well, being young and being there — I felt rejoiced because, damn, I need to take my own life into my own hands. It was like rolling the dice.” He added: “I love what y’all got going on, but it’s not necessarily the best situation for me.”
Well, it looks like the wideout wanted to be the unquestioned top guy in the WR room, and he couldn’t be that next to Adam Thielen, especially in an offense that also featured Dalvin Cook, a true workhorse running back who, in his prime, was one of the best in the business at moving the ball.
Still, Diggs said about Thielen: “I love Adam Thielen to death. I love seeing him have success, but for me, I knew I wasn’t going for it.”
Speculations about a possible Diggs trade surfaced during the 2019 season and were amplified when he skipped a few practice sessions, earning him a $200,000 fine. His famous “there’s truth to all rumors” answer during his media availability didn’t help calm down those theories.
Spielman, however, kept him throughout the year and shipped him to Buffalo after the 2019 season, shortly after Cousins received his first contract extension. The trade package gave Buffalo the true WR1 they desperately needed for Allen’s development, and the Vikings received a pick they would use to select Justin Jefferson and another pick that ultimately netted them safety Cam Bynum.
The strange aspect is that, even with Thielen, Diggs registered 1,021 yards in 2018 and 1,130 yards in 2019, scoring a total of 15 touchdowns in his final two seasons in the Twin Cities. Perhaps he didn’t like his usage in 2019 when the Vikings primarily used him as a deep threat, although he excelled in that role, having an outstanding 17.9 yards per catch (his next closest in a season was 13.8).
However, in Buffalo, Diggs’ numbers exploded, and he led the league in receiving yards in his first season in the AFC with 1,535. After four years, the Bills traded the four-time Pro Bowler to the Houston Texans, ironically for a pick the Texans received from the Vikings in the trade for their 23rd overall pick, that was expected to be used in a trade-up for the next QB, but was ultimately part of the trade that brought Dallas Turner to Minnesota.
Diggs has had an outstanding career, recently cracking the 10,000 receiving yards. He has scored 69 receiving touchdowns, went to four Pro Bowls, and was a first-team All-Pro in 2020 and a second-team All-Pro in 2022.
It should be noted, though, that his antics after a few years in Buffalo and Minnesota surely prevented him from becoming a true fan favorite and club legend, although he indeed still has fans in each building and fanbase.
Diggs will turn 31 in November and is scheduled to hit free agency in March.
