New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault charges stemming from an alleged December altercation with his former personal chef.
The 32-year-old, in his 11th NFL season, appeared shortly after 9 a.m. ET in Dedham District Court in Massachusetts. In a proceeding that lasted only minutes, Diggs stood before a judge, entered his plea and was ordered to have no contact with his accuser. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for April 1.
The courtroom stirred with murmurs as the first case of the morning session concluded, prompting the judge to call repeatedly for quiet and order as spectators filtered out following Diggs’ appearance.
Charges Filed After December Dispute
Diggs is accused of choking and smacking his former personal chef during a Dec. 2, 2025, argument at his home in Dedham. The charges — felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault — were formally filed Dec. 29.
According to a police report obtained by USA TODAY Network, the woman alleged that during a disagreement over her compensation, Diggs struck her and placed his hands around her neck. The report was filed Dec. 16. While the woman initially declined to press charges, she did so about a week later.
Diggs was originally scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 23, two days after the AFC championship game. A judge later postponed the court date until after the Patriots’ Super Bowl 60 appearance — a 29-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
