Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs had been performing well with the Houston Texans until a recent injury raised concerns that his season may be prematurely cut short. Diggs sustained a non-contact injury while running a route in the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, leading to his exit from the game without returning.
On Monday’s “Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN insider Adam Schefter expressed worry over Diggs’ situation, noting that the silence from the Texans about his prognosis could indicate serious concerns. Schefter observed that it’s common for teams to communicate with the media about player injuries when they are less severe, yet there had been no update on Diggs’ condition by Monday afternoon. “The fact that it was a non-contact injury and there’s been no clear response from the team raises red flags,” Schefter said.
Compounding the issue, the Texans face a short turnaround before their Thursday night game against the New York Jets. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Diggs is not expected to play in the upcoming game, with his longer-term status still uncertain as the team continues to evaluate his injury. Rapoport echoed Schefter’s concerns, noting the lack of assurances from the Texans about Diggs’ outlook.
Diggs had joined the Texans as part of a Buffalo offseason roster overhaul, with the Bills cutting costs by moving on from several veterans. Despite a turbulent end to his last season in Buffalo—where he went the final seven games without a touchdown—the Texans were benefiting from Diggs’ early season productivity, with him tallying 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had reported that Buffalo started envisioning a future without Diggs during his late-season slump, as the team’s offense thrived, securing six wins in a row, including a notable game against the Cowboys where Diggs had only 48 receiving yards. A source close to the Bills commented to Fowler, “For a while it was, ‘No way we can play without this dude,’ but after that Cowboys game, we thought, ‘Oh, maybe we can do this without him.’”
In the wake of trading Diggs, Buffalo made strategic additions to their receiving corps, drafting Keon Coleman, signing multiple veteran receivers, and bringing in Pro Bowler Amari Cooper through a mid-season trade.
