Stefon Diggs is Here to Work and to Win Amidst All the Noise of His Career

Plenty of noise but it doesn't sound like Diggs hears it

Stefon Diggs doesn’t know you and you don’t know him.

And he likes it that way.

“Not too many people know me on a personal level,” Diggs said, “and I don't particularly share a lot of my thoughts. I keep work, work.”

Work is what Diggs is in Houston to do. Acquired by the Texans with the byproduct of a trade out of the first round the multi-time All-Pro wideout has been as consistent as any the past few seasons. Even among a “down year” he was near the tops in the league in multiple categories. The Texans added him to create one of the most explosive offenses in football, rumors about him be damned.

Those pesky rumors.

Diggs didn’t see eye-to-eye with quarterback Josh Allen. Allegedly. He didn’t get the ball enough in Buffalo. Allegedly. He didn’t mesh with the coaching staff. Allegedly.

Diggs hasn’t taken any specific rumor head-on. He praised Allen since his departure in Buffalo calling him an “intricate” piece in the wide receiver’s career. Diggs doesn’t let the reporting affect him.

“Personally, I don't take things personal from people I don't know personally,” Diggs said accidentally explaining a proverb many could use in 2024. “When you garnish your opinion from what you hear from somebody it’s different if you know them on a personal level.”

The story of Diggs couldn’t be told without his guarded demeanor which sometimes comes off as prickly.

Don’t think Diggs is some malcontent coworker teammates will tread lightly around though. While we don’t know him, Diggs knows his teammates need to understand him more than a colleague.

“We build a family environment with the team. Those guys would know me personally, that's why I earn the respect of them first, along with my coaches.”

Families fight sometimes. It didn’t end well in Buffalo. The final stretch saw his role de-emphasized and his production slip. Broadcasts of Buffalo games more and more showcased a seemingly frustrated wide receiver not clicking anymore. Diggs felt like a trade was happening this offseason so he wasn’t shocked to head to Houston.

He was happy though saying he was in a “good place” and the smiles have been aplenty since his arrival. Diggs said he feels a genuine family environment with the Texans and can thrive when he feels loved.

The Texans hoped for a thriving Diggs when they traded for him.

The average season from Diggs in Buffalo was incredible. He averaged 111 receptions, 1343 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. The Pro Bowl was almost a formality for him. That, of course, came as the sole focus of a passing offense which won’t be the case in Houston.

How well can Diggs replicate that in a crowded offense as he turns 31 during the season?

It’s never been easier to succeed as an older player, but it isn’t common. Since 2014 there have only been 13 seasons of a wideout aged 31 or older gaining at least 1,000 yards. Four instances occurred last season though with Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins, and Adam Thielen all surpassing the mark. Diggs doesn’t look like he’s lost a step, the back half of last season in Buffalo is seemingly more a fluke than the new standard.

The Texans frequently lean on “iron sharpens iron” as a slogan and Diggs might be razor-sharp with new teammates. He never played with a wideout who gained 1,000 yards in Buffalo. The lack of talent around Diggs surely made him a defensive focus but also led to a volume of targets (644) surpassed by only Davante Adams (673) the last four years.

Diggs isn’t worried about getting enough for himself, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Dalton Schultz, and Joe Mixon. He simplified his approach saying it is his job to get open and not call the plays and he won’t worry about it.

“You do your job you get the ball.”

The job now for Diggs is to get to work. In his self-reflection of his time in Minnesota with the Vikings and Buffalo with the Bills he learned the value of just a little more. Not effort he clarified, but pacing his work so he is constantly heading in the right direction. The extra might be the difference in one win he’s learned.

Diggs could be the difference for the Texans in their quest to improve on an incredible start to a new era last season. There will be plenty of conversation about Houston as the season arrives and certainly eyes on the performance of Diggs.

Just remember when you’re analyzing the 2024 season of the star wideout, if he doesn’t know you, Diggs doesn’t care.

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The Houston Texans announced their training camp schedule. The team is set to begin workouts on July 18th with eight practices open to the public. Those dates are below. They will have a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams before the preseason game with the Rams in Houston.

As a reminder, I attend every training camp practice and give you observations and coverage from the workout here on the site. This includes the practices that will occur in Ohio in early August too.

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Per the Texans: All fans will have the opportunity to claim free tickets to practices beginning Thursday, June 20 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.com. There will be a limited number of tickets available per day and it is anticipated that tickets will go quickly. Season Ticket Members will receive an email with further details on their registration.