NFL teams are lining up to sign Stefon Diggs after the scandalized wide receiver was found not guilty of assaulting his personal chef.
An emotional Diggs appeared to wipe away tears after he claimed a resounding victory in court on Tuesday.
Free agent Diggs was accused of striking and choking chef Jamila Adams during an alleged dispute over her pay in December of last year.
The wide receiver pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery. After a two-day trial in Dedham, Diggs was cleared. He faced up to five years in prison if convicted.
Now he can turn his attention to solving his NFL future, which remains in a state of flux after he was released by the New England Patriots in March.
But the Daily Mail has been told that Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who has been dealing with his own off-season problems, would be interested in a reunion with Diggs. A host of other teams are also interested in recruiting the 32-year-old.
NFL teams are scrambling to sign free agent Stefon Diggs after his victory in court on Tuesday
But Mike Vrabel and the Patriots are the favourites after his impressive year in New England
A source said: ‘With Stefon’s not guilty verdict being given, it might be the start of him returning to the Patriots.
‘The only reason he would not sign is because he would have to sign for a lot cheaper rate than he would get from any other team. If he would like to leave millions on the table to return to the Patriots, those discussions will be started this week.
‘But now that he is out of the woods from going to jail, he’s going to be listening to a bunch more teams and see what deal is best for him, and he will likely sign with a team within the next month.
‘But the Patriots have a very big chance to obtain his services again because he had such a good time playing for Vrabel and the organization.’
It was a fruitful year for Diggs in New England that ended in Super Bowl heartbreak after they were beaten by the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara in February.
Diggs led New England with 85 receptions and 1,013 yards receiving with four touchdowns in his only season with the team. He was the go-to option for Drake Maye, who finished runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the AP NFL MVP award.
The Patriots have also been linked with a trade for AJ Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.
But interest in Diggs, who turns 33 on November 29, is undoubtedly going to rise in the coming weeks as teams try to finalize their rosters before training camp begins in the summer and his court victory will undoubtedly help his chances of landing another contract.
Diggs has played for three teams in the last three seasons. He began his career in Minnesota in 2015 and went from fifth-round pick to No. 1 receiver in five seasons with the Vikings.
Diggs seemed to wipe away tears after he was cleared of assaulting his ex-private chef
The case was marked by conflicting accounts of what happened inside his home after disputes over money and his relationship with Adams. His trial lasted two days and the jury deliberated for less than two hours.
The charges stemmed from a December 2 incident at his house in Dedham, where Adams, a former live-in personal chef known as Mila, testified that Diggs slapped and choked her during an argument.
Diggs’ attorneys said the alleged assault never happened and challenged Adams’ credibility, arguing the dispute was about money or relationship tensions – including a disagreement over a planned trip to Miami – rather than a violent attack.
They pointed to financial demands she made and testimony from friends and employees who said she did not appear injured in the days after the encounter, while prosecutors argued the case rests on her account of what happened inside the home.
Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell told jurors during closing arguments that prosecutors had not presented ‘a single shred of credible evidence’ that an assault occurred. He said Adams made the accusation to ‘leverage and humiliate and to punish’ Diggs.
In a written statement after the verdict was read, Diggs’ attorney Mitch Schuster said ‘fame and financial success shouldn´t strip someone of their presumption of innocence, but too often, it does exactly that.’
He was accused of striking and choking chef Jamila Adams during an alleged dispute over pay
‘Professional athletes have a target on their back. When someone sees a uniform and a contract, they see leverage; they see a settlement,’ he said. ‘And they´re counting on that pressure in the court of public opinion to drive a default decision to settle- regardless of the facts of the matter.’
Despite his acquittal in court, Diggs still could face discipline from the NFL.
‘We have been monitoring all developments in the matter which remains under review of the personal conduct policy,’ NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said Tuesday.
Several NFL players, including Ben Roethlisberger, Jameis Winston and Ezekiel Elliott, have been suspended for violating the personal-conduct policy despite not being arrested or charged with a crime.
