The trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs and his personal chef began on May 4.

Diggs is accused of strangulation, assault and battery against his personal chef after a pay dispute. Diggs was arrested in December 2025 and was released on bail.

The arraignment for the trial was scheduled for Jan. 23. However, the judge moved it back to Feb. 13, citing “previous professional commitments.” Diggs and the Patriots played the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game two days after the originally scheduled arraignment. The new arraignment was five days after their Super Bowl loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Diggs pleaded not guilty to all charges. Diggs’ legal team has described the accusations as “categorically false.”

Earlier this offseason, Diggs was released by the Patriots. He has yet to sign with a new team, possibly because teams are waiting for the outcome of this case.

Patriots officials mostly cited the $26.5 million cap hit due to Diggs in the 2026 season as the reason for releasing him. 

Diggs had 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season. However, he showed a decline in the playoffs. His best game of the playoffs was the divisional round game against the Houston Texans, when he had just 40 yards. He had 37 yards in the Super Bowl loss.

The allegations, playoff decline and massive cap hit created the perfect storm that led to Diggs’ release. The Patriots plan to trade for A.J. Brown after June 1 to make up for the loss of Diggs. 

The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons all showed interest in signing Diggs. 

The trial is expected to last two or three days before deliberations. The NFL has not announced any suspensions for Diggs. 

Diggs had other legal cases, including a defamation lawsuit he brought against an influencer who said he propositioned him.

ESPN’s Inside the NBA featured New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini in a graphic after the Boston Celtics were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The graphic was captioned “Gone fishing” and featured Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, it also showed Vrabel and Russini recreating the “I’m the king of the world” scene from Titanic.

Inside the NBA joined the ESPN lineup after airing on TNT since 1989. They’ve made graphics like these for many years. 

The Inside the NBA crew didn’t acknowledge that Vrabel and Russini were in the graphic on the show.

On April 7, Page Six published seven photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona. The leaked photos showed them hugging and holding hands. Vrabel was interviewed by the New York Post later that day and was asked about the photos. 

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini initially defended her actions, saying she was with a group of six people and that it’s common for sports journalists and team members to spend time together during the offseason.

Later that week, The New York Times, owner of The Athletic, said it launched an investigation into the incident. Russini resigned from The Athletic a few days later.

In late April, The New York Post released new photos of Vrabel and Russini. Although it’s not confirmed when the photos were taken, The New York Post estimated they were taken six years ago.

If The New York Post is correct about the timeline, this photo was taken approximately six months before Russini became engaged.

A new photo of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini has been released.

The photo shows Vrabel and Russini kissing in a New York bar. Although it’s not confirmed when the photo was taken, The New York Post estimated it was taken six years ago.

If The New York Post is correct about the timeline, this photo was taken approximately six months before Russini was engaged. 

These new photos add a new layer to a previous scandal. Page Six released seven photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona on April 7. The leaked photos showed them hugging and holding hands. Vrabel was interviewed by the New York Post later that day and was asked about the photos.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini originally defended her actions, saying she was with a group of six people and that it’s common for sports journalists and team members to spend time together during the offseason.

Later in the week, The New York Times, owner of The Athletic, said it would launch an investigation into the incident. Russini resigned from The Athletic a few days later.

“When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful,” Russini said.

The Athletic is still investigating the photos despite Russini’s leaving. 

So far, the Patriots have shown full support for Vrabel. However, this may change with the new photos being released. Vrabel was asked about the photos on NFL Draft day, and was much more open about the matter.

 “I take accountability for my actions and the actions that caused a distraction to the people that I care most about,” Vrabel said. 

The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to trade A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots after June 1.

Brown never formally requested a trade, but expressed displeasure with how the Eagles’ offense is run. The Eagles will wait until after June 1 to make the trade so that they can split the dead cap hit between 2026 and 2027. 

Last season, Brown had 78 receptions for 1,003 yards. Although Brown was targeted more than in 2024, his targets were still below those in his first two seasons with the Eagles.

The Patriots are coming off a Super Bowl appearance. Earlier this offseason, they cut Stefon Diggs to create cap space. Diggs had 85 receptions for 1,013 yards. However, he showed a decline in the playoffs. His best game was the divisional round game against the Houston Texans, where he had just 40 yards. Along with that, his personal controversies, like being accused of assaulting his personal chef, led the Patriots to want to move on from Diggs. 

Brown will try to replicate Diggs’ production from last season. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels frequently uses option routes for wide receivers. This means that wide receivers have multiple ways to get open within the offensive scheme. 

During the 2025 season, the Eagles sometimes struggled to get Brown involved. Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo was criticized for a lack of flow and creativity in his schemes. He was fired after the playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers and was replaced by Sean Mannion. 

Brown gives a young Patriots team some important veteran experience. He was a big part of the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl win. During the playoffs, he had 12 receptions for 163 yards. 

The NFL Draft will start on April 23. Now that the Patriots have the wide receiver spot figured out, they will likely focus on offensive line improvements. 

Dianna Russini’s departure from The Athletic has caused tension between The Athletic’s leadership and the staff of its parent company, The New York Times.

Page Six originally posted photos of Russini with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel on April 7. The two were seen holding hands and hugging at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona. 

The Athletic originally defended Russini.  

“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, said in a statement. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL, and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.”

Despite this, The New York Times launched a formal investigation into the photos on April 11. Two days later, Russini announced that she would be stepping away from her job at The Athletic. 

“When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful,” Russini said. 

Page Six interviewed an anonymous source from The New York Times. The source was unhappy with how The Athletic handled the news initially.

“It was really embarrassing for the Times,” said one insider, who told us that after the story broke, it was a major talking point on various desks across the Times newsroom. “It raised a lot of concerns because it’s something that should be taken seriously and [the statement] made it seem as if they didn’t think it warranted investigation.”

Ginsberg revealed that The Athletic was also investigating the photos. However, he said the publication’s instinct was to defend its writer. 

He also said the investigation will continue even after Russini leaves The Athletic. He considers journalistic integrity an important part of The Athletic’s mission. 

The New York Times, the owner of The Athletic, is investigating its reporter, Dianna Russini, after she was seen with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.

The photos were originally posted by Page Six on April 7. The Times launched its investigation on April 11. Russini will be away from The Athletic during the investigation.

The Athletic originally defended Russini.  

“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, said in a statement. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL, and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.”

The photos showed Vrabel and Russini together at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona. The two were seen holding hands and hugging. Vrabel defended his actions in an interview with the New York Post. 

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction, and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response,” Vrabel said. 

Russini also defended her actions. She told the New York Post that they were at the hotel with a group of six people. She said that it’s commonplace for reporters and sources to interact during the offseason. 

Both Vrabel and Russini are married with children. According to The New York Times’ code of conduct for journalists, activities that can create conflicts of interest must be avoided.  

Vrabel will be entering his second season as the Patriots’ head coach. Last season, he led them to their first Super Bowl appearance since they had Tom Brady. 

Meanwhile, Russini will be entering her 15th year as a reporter. She was hired by WNBC as a reporter in 2011. In 2023, she left ESPN to join The Athletic. 

Vrabel is expected to be at the NFL Draft on April 23.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel responded to leaked photos of him with The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini.

Page Six released seven photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Ambiente Sedona hotel in Arizona on April 7. Vrabel was interviewed by the New York Post later that day and was asked about the photos.

“These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable,” Vrabel said. “This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

Russini said that she and Vrabel were with a group of six other people. She said it’s common for her and other sports journalists to spend time together during the offseason. The Athletic defended her in a statement. 

“These photos are misleading and lack essential context,” Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, said. “These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL, and we’re proud to have her at The Athletic.“

Both Vrabel and Russini are married with children. Although the leaked photos show them hugging and holding hands, none crossed any lines, at least according to The Athletic. 

Vrabel finished his first season as the Patriots’ head coach in 2025. He led the team to their first Super Bowl since Tom Brady was their quarterback. They ultimately went on to lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. 

Meanwhile, Russini, a former college soccer player, will be entering her 15th season as a sports reporter. She was hired by WNBC in 2011, before joining ESPN in 2015 and The Athletic in 2023. 

Vrabel’s Patriots have had a wild offseason. They released Stefon Diggs and traded Garrett Bradbury, but also signed Tre’Mont Jones and Alijah Vera-Tucker. 

Vrabel is expected to be at the NFL Draft, which starts April 23 in Pittsburgh.

The New England Patriots are expected to sign Baltimore Ravens’ edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones. 

The Patriots will sign Jones to a three-year, $39 million contract. The defending AFC champions improve one of their biggest weaknesses from last season.

Jones was acquired by the Ravens in a mid-season trade with the Tennessee Titans. He had seven sacks and 55 pressures, which were both career highs. Under Titans’ defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, Jones was used as the primary edge rusher. Meanwhile, Ravens’ defensive coordinator Zach Orr was much more aggressive in sending multiple defenders at the quarterback. This led to Jones getting fewer sacks but more pressures. 

The Ravens recently traded for Maxx Crosby from the Las Vegas Raiders. The Crosby trade made Jones expendable for the Ravens.

The Patriots had 34 sacks last season, but most of them were from linebackers. Although Jones has played linebacker in the past, he is expected to play defensive end for the Patriots. 

The Patriots promoted Zak Kuhr from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. Kuhr’s system is similar to Orr’s in its aggression. The main difference is that Kuhr is more focused on stopping the run than the passing game.

Jones doesn’t have much experience with this type of scheme. However, he was part of versatile schemes with the Denver Broncos in 2021 and 2022. Jones had nine tackles for loss in both of those seasons. Jones was able to work in a system that asked him to fill many roles, so that should help him adjust to the Patriots’ system. 

Now that the edge rusher has been solved, the Patriots will look to address their other major issues: safety and offensive tackle. The Super Bowl saw Drake Maye get sacked six times. He set a record for most sacks taken in a single postseason with 20. 

The New England Patriots have decided to release former Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs.

Diggs signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Patriots last offseason. The Patriots will have to absorb $9.7 million in dead cap to release Diggs.

The Patriots were one of the most improved teams in the league last season, going from missing the playoffs to making the Super Bowl. Diggs was a big part of this, with 1,013 receiving yards to lead the team. 

However, his production saw a dip in the playoffs. His best game was the divisional round matchup against the Houston Texans, when he had 40 receiving yards. In the Super Bowl, Diggs was held to just 37 receiving yards.

Along with his playoff struggles, he is currently facing legal problems off the field. On Dec. 2, Diggs was accused of assaulting his private chef. The chef claimed he approached Diggs over unpaid wages, leading to Diggs becoming violent. He is also being sued by an ex-girlfriend for assault.

The big contract, the decline in the playoffs, and off-the-field issues created a perfect storm that led to Diggs’ release.

Even with the dead cap the Patriots absorbed, they still gain $16.8 million in salary-cap space by releasing Diggs. The money can be used to get wide receiver depth, edge rushers or offensive line help. 

Diggs can still be a major contributor to any team. It’s likely he’d want to join a contender, as he will be 33 by the end of the 2026 season. 2025 was the first time Diggs made the Super Bowl in his career.

The Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks are teams expected to be active in the WR market. Diggs played for the Bills from 2020 to 2023, making the Pro Bowl in each season. However, it was reported that Diggs was unhappy with his usage under offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who is now the head coach. 

Mack Hollins’ Super Bowl entrance turned the heads of many NFL fans.

Hollins wore a face mask meant to resemble Hannibal Lecter, handcuffs, shackles and was barefoot. 

It’s unclear whether Hollins was trying to send a political or sports message, or was just having fun with his clothes. In the 2025 playoffs, when he was with the Buffalo Bills, he wore sunglasses, a straw hat, swimming shorts and a floral shirt. This was all during a game where temperatures reached as low as 2 degrees. Hollins is also known for not wearing shoes unless he’s playing football.

Hollins won the Super Bowl in his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He got 22 targets in the regular season and two in the playoffs. He signed with the New England Patriots this offseason to give them depth at wide receiver. He had 65 targets during the regular season, the second-highest mark of his career. 

Hollins did not play in the wild-card game against the Los Angeles Chargers or in the divisional round game against the Houston Texans. He got in his first playoff game of the season against the Denver Broncos in the conference championship and had 51 receiving yards. In the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks, he had 78 receiving yards to lead all receivers. This was nearly as much as the Patriots had in their entire rushing game.  

Hollins is under contract next season for his age-33 season. He is projected to make $2.9 million. The Patriots are unlikely to cut him, but if they did, it would only cost them $750,000. 

His teammate Stefon Diggs will be getting a big pay increase in the second year of his three-year contract, going from $2.9 million to $20.6 million. The Patriots will need to manage their cap situation carefully to try to get back to the Super Bowl next season.

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are set to have an amazing matchup in Super Bowl LX. 

This was one of the most improbable Super Bowl matchups based on preseason odds. Both the Seahawks and the Patriots missed the playoffs the previous season. The Seahawks were led by quarterback Sam Darnold, who, despite a strong 2024 season with the Minnesota Vikings, remained unproven. Meanwhile, the Patriots had one of the youngest rosters in the league, led by QB Drake Maye. 

The Seahawks have the best defense in the league and the third-best offense. Darnold has put together another Pro Bowl season to lead the Seahawks offense. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith- Njigba has made Darnold’s life a lot easier. On defense, they have a balanced attack thanks to pass rushers DeMarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams, along with cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

The Patriots ranked second in offense and fourth in defense. The Patriots have a deep roster, but don’t have the star power that a lot of other rosters have. Despite this, Maye and CB Christian Gonzalez have helped elevate the Patriots’ play to the next level. 

The Seahawks and Patriots matched up against each other during Super Bowl XLIX. The Patriots won the game on a game-winning interception from Malcolm Butler. The Seahawks have won the next three matchups against the Patriots. The last time they matched up was in 2024, when Jacoby Brissett was playing QB for the Patriots. 

The Seahawks’ key to victory is for them to overwhelm the Patriots with their depth. The Seahawks roster has a lot of good pieces and very few, if any, teams can match that depth.

Meanwhile, the Patriots will need their stars to shine bright. Maye has made some big plays but has yet to take over as he did in the regular season.

Out 57 experts polled by ESPN, 47 picked the Seahawks to win.

On Thursday night at the NFL Honors, Matthew Stafford was named the NFL MVP for the first time in his career. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback narrowly won it over New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

This was the closest MVP race since 2003, when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the award. Stafford received 24 first-place votes, while Maye received 23. Josh Allen received two first-place votes, as did Justin Herbert, who received one first-place vote.

Stafford, 37, became the third-oldest player to win the prestigious award behind Tom Brady in 2017 and Aaron Rodgers in 2021. Stafford became the oldest player to win his first MVP award in NFL History.

In year 17, Stafford posted a career-high in passing touchdowns with 46 while also throwing for 4,707 passing yards. His counterpart, Maye, posted 36 total touchdowns and 4,394 passing yards while completing 72% of his passes. The argument for Maye was that he simply won more, leading the Patriots to a 14-3 record and an AFC East division title.

While accepting the award, Stafford brought his four daughters on stage with him and gave a heartwarming speech, one that all Rams fans will love, saying, “You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me. I appreciate it. I am so happy to have you at the games on the sideline with me, and I can’t wait for you to cheer me on next year when we’re out there kicking ass,” announcing that he will be back for his 18th NFL season.

The camera panned to Rams coach Sean McVay and runningback Kyren Williams, celebrating as their quarterback will return for at least one more season. Stafford and the Rams are hoping not to be at the NFL honors next year and instead be preparing for the Super Bowl, which will be at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Tom Brady reacted to his former head coach, Bill Belichick, being snubbed from the Hall of Fame.

On January 27, it was announced that Belichick didn’t receive the 40 votes required to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The football world was shocked, including Brady.

“I don’t understand it.” Brady simply said on a radio show. 

Belichick started his coaching career in 1975 as a special assistant for the Baltimore Colts. In 1985, he finally landed a major role as the New York Giants’ defensive coordinator. He won two Super Bowls with the team.

In 1991, Belichick got his first chance to be a head coach for the Cleveland Browns. In 1994, he led the Browns to the playoffs. They defeated the New England Patriots in the wild-card round before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the divisional round. 

In 1997, he joined Bill Parcells on the New York Jets as the defensive coordinator. Parcells and Belichick worked together with the Giants. The Jets had a top-10 defense in each of Belichick’s three seasons as defensive coordinator. They made the playoffs in 1998 but lost to the Denver Broncos in the conference championship. 

The Patriots hired him in 2000, and the rest was history. Belichick won six Super Bowls and three Coach of the Year awards in New England. In 2023, the two mutually agreed to part ways after a legendary run.

If you just look at his resume, Belichick’s exclusion from the Hall of Fame is simply insane. Pro Football Hall of Fame ballots are not required to be publicly released. The few voters who have publicly admitted to not voting for Belichick have cited his cheating scandals (Spygate and Deflategate) as reasons. Coaches remain on the Hall of Fame ballot indefinitely.

The Denver Broncos were denied a chance at another Super Bowl appearance by the New England Patriots.

The Broncos were the best team in football during the regular season. Despite having to play backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, their depth gave them a legit chance. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots had plenty of talent but lacked experience. 

The Broncos surprisingly got on the board first thanks to a touchdown pass from Stidham to Courtland Sutton. 

In the second quarter, the Broncos had a chance to take a 10-0 lead. However, coach Sean Payton decided to go for it on fourth down. He admitted to ESPN that he regretted the decision. Later in the quarter, Drake Maye rushed in for a touchdown to tie the game.

Kicker Adam Borregales hit a field goal to give the Patriots a third-quarter lead. As the third quarter progressed, it started to snow more in Denver. What started out as a sunny day quickly turned into an all-out snowstorm. 

The Broncos got a chance to tie the game with a field goal in the fourth quarter. However, the kick was blocked. Later in the quarter Stidham took a deep shot but it was intercepted by Christian Gonzalez. The Patriots were able to seal the game away after a run by Maye ate up significant clock time.

Despite their loss, the Broncos still feel good about their roster. They played a competitive game with a QB who had not played a full game since 2023. 

The Patriots will take on the Seattle Seahawks during Super Bowl LX. Both teams finished with a record of 14-3. The Patriots were designated as the home team. Since the game is played in a neutral location, the only thing that’s really impacted is the choice of which jersey they want to wear.  

Although Drake Maye’s numbers haven’t been eye-popping in the playoffs, he’s still been a vital part of the New England Patriots’ success.

Maye led the team to their first playoff appearance since 2021. He also got the Patriots their first playoff win since Super Bowl LIII, when Tom Brady was their quarterback. Maye was given Pro Bowl honors for his efforts.

In the wild-card round against the Los Angeles Chargers, he threw one touchdown and one interception. That touchdown in the fourth quarter helped extend the Patriots’ lead. Despite his numbers not being the best, he outplayed veteran QB Justin Herbert.

The divisional round matchup against the Houston Texans was Maye’s best performance so far. He threw three touchdowns and one interception. This game was pretty much decided by the turnover battle. Texans QB C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions. Although throwing any interceptions is obviously bad, Maye did a good job of damage control. Not to mention, he was playing against an elite Texans defense.

The conference championship game was one of the hardest games you could ask a young QB to play in. A snowstorm hit during the second half, which made visibility nearly impossible. Although he was limited in the air, he made up for it with his run game. He ran 10 times for 65 yards. The Patriots overall ran 38 times with Maye and the running backs. They defeated the Broncos 10-7 to advance to Super Bowl LX.

Maye will face the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. He has never played them before in his two-year career. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold does have more snaps, but his experience isn’t that much greater than Maye’s. He’s only been a full-time starter the last two seasons, and he only won his first playoff game this season.

New England Patriots icon Rob Gronkowski signed a one-day contract with the team on Wednesday, officially retiring with the franchise where he spent his entire nine-season career.

The tribute was in honor of the former tight end’s charity partner, Susan Hurley, who passed away earlier this month after battling cancer. Hurley requested that ‘Gronk’ retire in Foxborough.

“We are 100% here today for her, no doubt about that,” Gronkowski said in a press conference on Wednesday. “She just did such a great job, working and running a lot of people’s charities.”

Hurley was the founder of the “CharityTeams” organization and was a former cheerleader of the Patriots. Gronkowski is a vocal advocate for charity and has established the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation, which supports kids in sports and education.

“She made it seamless. She made it easy,” Gronkowski said on Hurley’s charity work. “She ran all the activities, all the events. She will have a lasting impact forever.”

The tight end was part of the core players of the Patriots’ dominance throughout the 2010s. He won three Super Bowls in five years alongside Tom Brady and Julian Edelman.

At the end of the 2018 season, Gronkowski announced his retirement, but reversed his decision one year later after teaming up with Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The duo won Super Bowl LV in their first season together, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020.

A season later, Gronk announced his second retirement.

Since Brady and Gronkowski left Gillette Stadium, the Patriots missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. This year, however, the tide could be turning as New England sits 9-2 in mid-November.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye continues to push for the NFL MVP after another impressive performance, this time in a 27-14 win on Thursday night against the New York Jets.

Maye extended his streak of notching over 200 passing yards in every game this season by tallying 281 and a completion rate of 73.5% against the Jets. The Patriots secured their eighth straight victory to keep Mike Vrabel‘s side top of the AFC East division.

The home crowd started to chant “MVP” as the team secured its fourth straight home win.

“I thought those fans were awesome,” Maye said in his postgame press conference. “I think it was pretty sweet for the prime time game, here for my first one at home, pretty sweet.”

This season, Maye has completed 20 passing touchdowns and is averaging a 71.9% completion rate. He also became the fourth NFL quarterback during the last 20 years to win eight straight games while scoring 20 points or more each game in his first or second season.

The Patriots are having quite the turnaround in 2025. The team went 4-13 in each of the last two seasons, but in Vrabel’s first year in Foxborough, the Patriots are making a case as legit title contenders.

“I would say (Maye’s) performance, in general, has been what we expect,” Vrabel said after the win. “We have high expectations for Drake. He has high expectations for himself.”

Maye and the Patriots return to the field next Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

During a tight 24-23 loss to the New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris publicly accused the Patriots of illegally simulating Atlanta’s snap count by clapping, which induced the early snap. According to Morris.

The Atlanta Falcons found themselves caught up in the late-game controversy. With just 2:0 remaining on the clock and Atlanta trailing by one point at the Patriots’ 48-yard line, Falcons center Ryan Neuzil snapped the ball early on second-and-10.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was not prepared, under immediate pressure, and was flagged for intentional grounding. This turned the situation into a third and 20 and effectively ended the chance to tie or take the lead.

If Morris’s claims are true, the act would fall under the NFL rule forbidding disconcerting signals. The Patriots refute the claim. Defensive tackle Milton Williams said he did not hear any clapping and noted the play may have been a result of a communication breakdown on Atlanta’s line.

Coach Mike Vrabel dismissed it as a “waste of time” and said his team did not teach or engage in clapping to confuse a snap.

By the following day, Morris offered a softer position: after reviewing the tape, he acknowledged that the snap was their fault and that he didn’t want to fuel the fire. “It was on us,” he said.

New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs returned to the place where he first debuted in football, Highmark Stadium.

Diggs has been getting more attention for his activities as Cardi B‘s baby daddy than on the field in recent weeks.

On Sunday night, the Patriots traveled to New York to face the Buffalo Bills on turf that Diggs knows quite well.

The Patriots’ 23-20 win proved that they have improved and could go far this season.

Diggs played for the Bills for four seasons, catching over 100 passes for more than 1,000 yards in each play

Diggs is in his first season as a Patriot, and he has played all five games.

During the game against the Bills, Diggs showed the fans his connection with quarterback Drake Maye.

Overall, Diggs made 10 out of the 12 targets for 146 yards. His longest reception was 32 yards, and he had an average of 14.6.

“I’m just so excited,” Diggs told a Sunday Night Football reporter after the game. “I’m just so proud of these guys.”

Their next game is Oct. 12, against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Bill Belichick’s move from the NFL to college football has not been what he or North Carolina had anticipated. Since his start in September, it has been a disaster. Expectations were sky-high that the eight-time Super Bowl winner was going to reshape the program. But only five games into the 2025 season, the Tar Heels are 2-3 and have suffered multiple blowout losses. The excitement of his arrival, along with his high-profile staff, has quickly faded.

While Belichick struggled to compete in his new position. His old world in the NFL has flourished. His old team, the New England Patriots, is 3-2 under Mike Vrabel. This put them in 2nd, challenging the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East. Alongside the Patriots, ex-players like Mac Jones and Tyquan Thornton are thriving with other teams. This, along with Belichick’s season at UNC, makes him consider what the future of his career will look like.

The success of Vrabel at the Patriots has sparked comparisons to Belichick’s era. Both took different approaches to New England’s playing style. Vrabel’s team may not have the same star power as Belichick’s dynasty team had, but they had embraced a grittier, more balanced identity. Vrabel is known for having a dynamic, charismatic personality, unlike Belichick. Vrabel’s tactics seem to have a strong emphasis on offense, while Belichick emphasized defense.

Belichick’s struggle at North Carolina also raises questions about whether his coaching style can still compete in today’s game. The 73-year-old coaches an old-school approach, which used to rein in domination in the NFL, seemed out of place for the Tar Heels. For a coach who once seemed untouchable, this season has served as a humbling reminder that even legends must evolve.