The New England Patriots consider releasing wide receiver Stefon Diggs less than a month after their Super Bowl appearance, amid ongoing contract disputes and legal challenges.
Contract Standoff Looms
Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million deal last March but now carries a $26.5 million cap hit. He must accept a restructured contract to remain with the team. A straight release saves $16.8 million in cap space, rising to $20.8 million with a post-June 1 designation. The player receives $6 million guaranteed on March 13, as the franchise works toward a swift resolution.
Diggs shows reluctance to renegotiate, leading the Patriots to explore replacements for quarterback Drake Maye’s top target.
Impressive 2025 Season
The 32-year-old veteran paced the Patriots with 85 receptions, 1,013 receiving yards, and four touchdowns across 17 games.
Legal Battles Ahead
Diggs faces felony strangulation and misdemeanor battery charges stemming from an alleged December altercation with his personal chef during a financial dispute. He entered a not-guilty plea last month.
Mitchell Schuster, a member of Diggs’ legal team, stated: “We’re confident that after the facts and evidence are reviewed in this case, he will be completely exonerated.”
Separately, a defamation lawsuit accuses Diggs of falsely claiming a former business partner stole a Ferrari in 2024, which allegedly sparked a 2025 nightclub assault on the plaintiff.
Recent Personal Changes
Diggs and rapper Cardi B ended their relationship around the Super Bowl period, a split she confirmed on her Little Miss Drama Tour.
His family grew in 2025 with the birth of daughter Charliee Harper to Aileen Lopera in April—paternity confirmed via DNA tests, which Diggs acknowledged. He also welcomed two additional children with other partners. Cardi B delivered their first child together in November 2025.
Cardi B filed for divorce from ex-husband Offset in July 2024. They share three children: Kulture, 7; Wave, 4; and Blossom, 1.
