The New England Patriots were blindsided by a pair of unexpected off-the-field distractions late in the regular season when wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive tackle Christian Barmore were criminally charged in separate cases.
While Barmore’s charge is a misdemeanor, Diggs is facing multiple charges, including one felony allegation.
Diggs has been Drake Maye’s top target all season long, overcoming a 2024 ACL tear and giving the young quarterback a reliable veteran pass-catcher to help the Patriots’ offense blossom. As New England tries to engineer a Super Bowl run, Diggs has remained on the field for the AFC East champions.
Here’s what you need to know about the charges Diggs is facing and why he is allowed to continue playing.
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Stefon Diggs assault charges, explained
Diggs was charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery as a result of an incident that allegedly took place on Dec. 2 in Massachusetts, Boston 25 News first reported on Dec. 30. He has not yet been arraigned.
According to TMZ, Diggs' "former personal chef claims the Patriots star slapped her and tried to choke her out over a salary dispute" in early December, citing the police report. She reported the incident to police on Dec. 16, and charges were filed two weeks later.
"The woman claims during the conversation, Diggs became angry and smacked her across the face. She said she attempted to push him away, but he then 'tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck,'" TMZ reported. The woman also claims Diggs threw her onto a bed.
The alleged incident took place one day after the Patriots defeated the New York Giants on "Monday Night Football."
Diggs "categorically denies the allegations," the Patriots said in a statement on Dec. 30, but he has largely stayed quiet about the situation ever since.
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Why is Stefon Diggs still playing?
The NFL typically waits until legal cases are resolved before issuing suspensions, which is why Kansas City Chiefs WR Rashee Rice, for example, wasn't suspended until 2025 for an incident that occurred in March 2024.
As long as that precedent is followed, there isn't any reason to expect Diggs to be suspended by the league at any point this season.
The only exception could be a scenario in which Diggs is placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, which the NFL describes as "a special player status available to clubs only in unusual circumstances." Use of the Commissioner's Exempt List is rare, but it can allow a player to not count against a team's 53-man roster while facing serious criminal charges.
Given the charges were filed in late December and Diggs played in Week 18 without being placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List, there is no reason to believe he is at risk of being forced to sit out at any point in these playoffs.
Diggs was set to be arraigned on Jan. 23, but his lawyers were hoping to reschedule the court date until after the season. The 2026 Super Bowl will be played on Sunday, February 8 and Diggs' new arraignment date is February 13, five days after the Super Bowl.
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Will Stefon Diggs be suspended?
Diggs could still be suspended at some point, but the NFL will likely wait until his legal case is resolved before making a decision on a punishment. That means it's possible a suspension doesn't go into effect in 2026, given the case could drag out all year.
It's worth noting the NFL does not need a guilty plea or conviction to suspend a player. NFL policy calls for the league to conduct its own investigation regardless of how the case is handled legally. For example, the NFL suspended Ezekiel Elliott six games after investigating domestic violence allegations that never resulted in criminal charges.
Stefon Diggs stats with Patriots
| Games | Targets | Rec. | Yards | TD | Yards/rec. |
| 17 | 102 | 85 | 1,013 | 4 | 11.9 |
Diggs recorded his seventh career 1,000-yard season in 2025, reaching the mark and earning a contract incentive as a result in Week 18.
Diggs, who ranks sixth among active players with 11,504 receiving yards, also posted the highest catch rate of his career in 2025 and was the Patriots' first 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019.