New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots opened Week 1 with more than game talk — Stefon Diggs used his first press conference of the season to make peace with the media.
After avoiding interviews for most of training camp, Diggs stepped up Wednesday in Foxborough to explain his silence.
He said he wanted time to focus on his recovery and mindset while preparing for the year. He thanked reporters for their patience, as transcribed by Michael Hurley of NBC Sports Boston.
Speculation about his attitude surfaced during camp when NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry suggested on “Quick Slants” that Diggs was “becoming a bit of a pain.”
Diggs addressed both Perry and Tom E. Curran directly, saying he never intended to create tension. “I’m an adult. I’ll apologize,” Diggs said. He emphasized that he did not want to come off as difficult or provide soundbites for clicks, according to Khari A. Thompson of Boston.com.
Diggs also explained that earlier cagey comments about his Week 1 availability were tied to team rules on discussing injuries. He said he didn’t want to give opponents an advantage and described his remarks as sarcastic and playful rather than misleading.
The 31-year-old receiver has recovered from a torn ACL suffered last season with Houston. Though he sat out the preseason, he practiced throughout training camp without setback.
When asked if he expects to be limited against the Las Vegas Raiders, Diggs gave a quick “Hell no,” before acknowledging coaches will make the final call.
Diggs made it clear he wants to reset his relationship with the media and focus on the long season ahead.
