Stefon Diggs Clears Final Hurdle: NFL Closes Book on Chef Case

The legal ordeal surrounding Stefon Diggs has officially ended. After a jury found the New England Patriots receiver not guilty of strangulation and assault and battery in May, the NFL has now completed its own investigation and determined that the 32-year-old violated no part of its personal conduct policy. The decision came down Friday, putting closure on a saga that began when allegations surfaced in December.

For Diggs, this represents far more than a legal technicality. The receiver had been playing under a cloud of uncertainty since the charges emerged, continuing through the Patriots’postseason run despite the serious nature of the claims made by his female staffer. Even as he suited up for games—including the Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks—his future with any team remained cloudy. Organizations understandably wanted to wait for both the criminal verdict and the league’s ruling before committing significant resources.

Now those barriers are gone. Diggs had a productive final season with the Patriots, earning more than 1,000 yards and four touchdowns. He’s been training throughout the offseason, and his legal team has been vocal about his readiness to contribute to another roster. With the NFL investigation officially in the rearview, teams can now evaluate him purely on his on-field merits without the distraction of pending disciplinary action. The question now is whether any franchise will take a chance on bringing him into the fold.

It’s a turning point in what’s been a drawn-out process. The bizarre testimony during the trial, the months of waiting for the league’s decision—it all left Diggs in limbo. Friday’s announcement clears that path forward. Whether it translates into a new contract remains to be seen, but at least the legal uncertainty is no longer a factor.