Did Bill’s WR Stefon Diggs do something wrong?

Stefon Diggs was not pleased that the Buffalo Bills’ season ended in the divisional round playoffs when the Cincinnati Bengals inflicted the AFC East champions a 27-10 loss.

A franchise notoriously still waiting for a first Super Bowl triumph will see the wait for the joint hand of the Vince Lombardi Trophy stretch out for at least another 12 months. Orchard Park is all about going back to the drawing board.

Fame

Expectations for the current season were high and were met to some extent as they posted a regular season record of 12-3, but the race at State Farm Stadium in Arizona will be left to others.

Ultimate glory has once again eluded the Bills, with Super Bowl totals now tipping the side of the +225 market-leading Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles. The NFL odds were weighted in Sean McDermott’s men’s favor with history seemingly beckoning, but New York State’s dreams ultimately faded to nothing.

Diggs was among those unimpressed when he noted that no order for Super Bowl rings would be placed in 2022. The superstar wide receiver has unfortunately thrust himself into the spotlight after he was caught on camera gesturing at quarterback Josh Allen against the Bengals in the fourth quarter of a setback.

He was keen to make a hasty retreat once the dust had settled at a snow-covered Highmark stadium – maybe he was trying to beat traffic – and Duke Johnson had to steer him back toward a dressing room at home.

Diggs didn’t speak to the media afterwards, which was perhaps for the best for everyone involved, and just stuck his head over the railing on social media. His words there paint a picture of a frustrated character who needed time to clear his head.

The same should have been true for any other member of the Bills’ list, although it’s easy to argue that Diggs did nothing wrong. His antics were criticized by some, but they really shouldn’t have as he was merely reacting in a way any born winner would. Nobody should smile in defeat.

Diggs posted a series of messages: “Do you want me to be okay with losing? nope Should I be okay with our level of play if it’s not up to standard? nope It’s easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.”

Competitive

Those behind the scenes don’t seem to have a problem with him, as McDermott said, “Stef is an extremely competitive person, as we all know, and that’s one of the reasons we all love him.” General manager Brandon Beane added: “I’d rather have people I have to calm down and he just wants to win and I can live with that as opposed to people I’m asking are they just here? for the Monday salary?”

Did Diggs do the right thing? Probably not. While disappointment is understandable, pointing blame doesn’t get anyone anywhere, and neither does running away from a problem. His stance shouldn’t be questioned, however, as it’s this type of character that could take the Bills a few steps further in 2023-24.