New England Patriots defensive lineman Leonard Taylor has gone viral after making a bizarre reference to disgraced music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in his postgame interview with reporters.
Taylor’s NFL season has been a wild ride to say the least, after he began going 0-6 with the New York Jets and is now off to the Super Bowl with the Patriots.
He played little football in Sunday’s AFC Championship showdown, limited to just 16 defensive snaps, but he came up huge to save his team’s season late on, blocking a potential game-tying field goal to seal the Patriots’ 10-7 win in Denver.
In the locker room after the game he was a highly sought-after interview, and he proved he is just as valuable in front of the cameras as he is on the field when he quickly went viral for a wild comment.
When asked to describe the biggest moment of his career, he told reporters: ‘I just jumped in the air and got a taste of the ball, no Diddy.’
The apparent reference to the hip-hop mogul is a viral trend that emerged in 2024, in which users of the phrase try to distance themselves from controversy.
Leonard Taylor stunned fans when he referenced Diddy in his postgame locker room interview
Diddy, pictured in 2018, is currently in jail in New Jersey serving a 50-month sentence
Diddy is currently serving a 50-month jail sentence after being found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, following a long trial and multiple sexual misconduct and sex crime allegations.
He was jailed in October and is currently incarcerated in FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, due to be released in June 2028.
Taylor, meanwhile, is in the midst of a remarkable upturn in fortunes after he came up with one of the plays of the game just hours after being elevated from the Patriots’ practice squad.
Lineman Taylor got a hand to a field goal attempt to help the Patriots back to the Super Bowl
On Friday, the team announced roster moves headlined by Mack Hollins being activated from injured reserve. Buried in the report was that D’Ernest Johnson and Taylor had also been elevated from the practice squad.
24 hours later, he came up huge in the conference championship, getting his hand on a potential game-tying field goal with 4:46 to play.
The game ended 10-7 and Taylor’s block ensured New England’s return to the Super Bowl, though it remains unclear whether he’ll keep his spot on the active roster for the big game in San Francisco.
