Stefon Diggs dropped a bold promise after inking a 3-year, $69 million deal with the New England Patriots last week, vowing to transform rookie QB Drake Maye into a talent on par with Josh Allen—the Bills star he once elevated to NFL elite status. Speaking to reporters in Foxborough on Friday, the six-time Pro Bowler, fresh off a one-year stint with the Houston Texans, outlined his mission: “Three years here, I’ll help Drake get to where Josh is now—the No. 1 QB. I did it before.” With $23 million guaranteed (Spotrac), Diggs gives New England a true WR1, a lifeline for an offense that cratered in 2024, and a mentor for Maye’s ascent.

Diggs’ track record backs his big talk. In 2024 with Houston, he notched 47 catches for 496 yards and 3 touchdowns in 8 games before an ACL tear sidelined him, averaging 10.6 yards per catch, per NFL.com. His Bills tenure from 2020-2023 was transformative—445 receptions, 5,372 yards, and 37 TDs, peaking with a 2020 season (4,544 yards, 37 TDs for Allen) that cemented Allen’s rise to QB stardom. Over 10 seasons, Diggs has piled up 11,406 yards and 80 TDs, his route-running mastery a catalyst for young QBs. “I turned Josh into a monster,” Diggs grinned. “Drake’s next.”

For the Patriots, Diggs’ pledge could resurrect an offense that ranked 31st in total yards (291.3 per game) in 2024, per ESPN, giving Maye—2,276 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs as a rookie—a weapon to mirror Allen’s leap. Fans on X buzzed: “Diggs molding Maye like Allen? Pats are back!” His arrival bolsters a WR corps desperate for star power, but the Bills feel the sting—Diggs’ exit in 2024 left their passing game 14th (226.4 yards/game), with Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman unable to fill his shoes. As Diggs aims to sculpt Maye into Allen 2.0, the AFC East rivalry just got a blockbuster subplot.