Latest news with #MikeVrabel
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'A dead end': Insider claims Patriots could release Stefon Diggs immediately to void $25M guarantee
Stefon Diggs' future with the New England Patriots is uncertain (Image via AP) New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs may find his future with the team in jeopardy just months after signing a massive contract — all because of a viral yacht party clip featuring rapper Cardi B and what appeared to be a bag of pink powder. The footage, which lit up social media, raised serious questions about Diggs' conduct off the field, especially given his high-profile arrival in New England. He inked a three-year, $69 million deal with $25 million guaranteed in March, and expectations were high for the former Buffalo Bills star. But now, the Patriots may be rethinking their investment. NFL insider says Patriots could cut Diggs to protect guaranteed money NFL insider Albert Breer weighed in on the controversy during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, revealing that the Patriots could take immediate action depending on the explanation Diggs gave head coach Mike Vrabel. 'I think it's going to be hard for anybody, the league is going to look into this, and they're going to hit a dead end cause they're not going to be able to prove what was in the bag,' Breer said. 'So then, it's up to the team to make a decision. ' Breer also suggested that if the Patriots want to protect their financial interests, they would need to act swiftly. 'And if the team wants to recoup any of the guaranteed money, they have to cut him right away,' he explained. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo 'Because you can't hold him on the roster for two weeks and then decide, 'OK, we're done with you then.'' Mike Vrabel sends a warning and keeps Diggs talks private Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel didn't address the video directly but made it clear that player behavior matters. Speaking after an OTA practice, Vrabel said, 'Obviously, we want to make great decisions on and off the field... the message will be the same for all of the players. Try to make great decisions.' When asked about his private discussions with Diggs, Vrabel was firm: 'Any conversations that I've had with Stefon will remain between him and I.' Also Read: Is Tyreek Hill the fastest NFL player? Showdown with Olympic champion Noah Lyles could prove it soon As speculation swirls, Diggs' absence from recent practices has only added fuel to the fire. Whether it was a warning, a suspension, or something more serious, his NFL future with the Patriots now hangs in the balance — and the pink powder mystery may be the tipping point.
NBC Sports
17 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NFL declines comment on Stefon Diggs video
The recent video of Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs with a pink powder on a boat prompted public comment from New England coach Mike Vrabel. It has resulted in silence from the league office. Chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT via email on Friday that the NFL 'will decline comment' on the matter. Although the league has dramatically reduced the pathway to a suspension under its substance-abuse policy, a player can be placed in the substance-abuse program based on "[b]ehavior . . . which, in the judgment of the Medical Director, exhibits physical, behavioral, or psychological signs or symptoms of misuse of Substances of Abuse.' Placement in Stage One of the program results in enhanced testing and potential fines. However, a suspension no longer occurs until the fourth violation of the requirement to cooperate with testing protocol or clinical care requirements. A positive urine test never results in a suspension. Given that, in most cases, the public becomes aware of a player's presence in the substance-abuse program only after he is suspended, it's possible that no one will ever know if the video results in the league placing Diggs in State One as a result of the video.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Stefon Diggs could be CUT by Patriots over viral video that left girlfriend Cardi B furious
The New England Patriots could cut Stefon Diggs after the NFL star was filmed handling a bag containing an unknown substance while on a yacht surrounded by scantily-clad women. That is according to one NFL insider, who believes 'all things are on the table' after the video went viral over Memorial Day Weekend. Wide receiver Diggs was seen lounging shirtless on the boat, chatting with three women - all dressed in bikinis - who called him 'daddy.' That is despite his girlfriend, rap star Cardi B, also enjoying the party onboard. Towards the end of the clip, Diggs produced a plastic bag containing an unknown substance that one of the women took from him. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, New England could take serious action against the receiver unless they are satisfied with his explanation. 'I think all things are on the table and I think really - to me at least - it's going to boil down to what Stef told [head coach Mike] Vrabel, and how believable it was,' Breer told 98.5 The Sports Hub. Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler, only joined the Patriots in March. He signed a three-year, $69million contract which includes $25m guaranteed. 'It's going to be hard... the league is going to look into this, and they're going to hit a dead end because they're not going to be able to prove what was in the bag,' Breer continued. 'So then it's up to the team to make a decision. And if the team wants to recoup any of the guaranteed money, they have to cut him right away... my guess would be that the reason he wasn't at practice the other day might be because Mike told him to stay away and maybe they're sorting through everything now.' Diggs did not attend voluntary practice on Wednesday, when Vrabel addressed the incident. 'It's something we're aware of and obviously we want to make great decisions on and off the field,' Vrabel said. 'Any conversations that I've had with Stefon will remain between him and I and the club.' Breer believes Vrabel - a three-time Super Bowl champion - will have a 'pretty good sense' if he is being lied to. 'It's just how credible whatever Stefon Diggs says to him is,' Breer said. 'If [Diggs] comes in and gives you a believable story and then falls on the sword and goes in front of the team and apologizes for putting everybody in this position when they have to answer questions for him, then fine.' Speculation over a romance between the NFL star and Cardi B has swirled since late 2024 Diggs joined the Patriots after one season with the Houston Texans. He is currently recovering from a torn ACL. After the video went viral, an insider told the Daily Mail that Cardi B 'doesn't want her man flirting with any ladies.' 'Girls will throw themselves on him all the time, but she wishes he wouldn't be a scumbag and flirt back,' they said. 'Cardi has had her fair share of relationship issues, and she doesn't want it to continue with Stefon. And now that the video went viral, she is really frustrated with him that he would allow that to happen,' the source continued. 'He should know better, the fact that he didn't realize what was going on around him is embarrassing and she is mad at him.'
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
How backup QB Joe Milton is adjusting to Cowboys' new offense
FRISCO, Texas — Players rarely complain when they are traded to the Dallas Cowboys. So, it's not a surprise to learn that Joe Milton III was just fine with the early April trade that sent him from New England to Dallas. Following Thursday's organized team activities at The Star, the second-year quarterback called the move a 'blessing' for the following reasons. Milton was selected by the Patriots with the 193rd pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, a disappointing outcome for a player who had hoped to go as early as the second round. He didn't play in a regular-season game until Week 18, getting the majority of the work in an impressive showing. The last thing he was thinking at the time was that he'd be with a different team in 2025. Advertisement Milton said he was genuinely surprised to find out on April 3 that he was being traded along with a 2025 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. New England drafted quarterback Drake Maye third overall in 2024. He's the future of the franchise. Apparently, the Patriots didn't think there would be enough opportunities for a second young arm on the roster. 'We felt like his reps were gonna be decreased as we worked through the offseason,' New England coach Mike Vrabel told reporters of the trade in April. 'And we felt just like every other decision, we're gonna try to do what's best for the team, and that's the decision that we ultimately made.' Milton's exceptional game against Buffalo, which included completing 22 of 29 passes for 241 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown, was enough to create serious interest from the Cowboys. They were looking to get younger behind Prescott. Rather than draft a prospect, they traded for one that had already impressed in an NFL game. 'I went in there and did what the play caller and head coach wanted me to do, and that's win the game,' Milton said. 'I didn't know what was going to happen. It was the last game of the season. I was just going off happy. I went out with a win in my first game ever in the NFL. That's pretty much all I was thinking about, until two months later and boom, I'm here. 'After the Buffalo game, I was like, it's fun. I feel like I can keep doing this. I feel like there is more that I need to let out. I was just having fun. It's probably one of the best days of my life.' Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer on Joe Milton: 'I was excited about Joe before we got him. When you go into these deals and you're talking about making trades, we all reach out to people that you know, people that you trust, people that have been exposed to said player at… — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 21, 2025 Milton struggled at times last week during the first OTA practice open to reporters, throwing two interceptions during 11-on-11 team drills. On Thursday, he was much more accurate, looking confident as he threw only one incomplete pass during his reps with the second-team offense. He connected downfield on multiple big plays, including one on a seam route to tight end Princeton Fant. Advertisement 'I was excited about Joe before we got him,' Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said. 'When you go into these deals and you're talking about making trades, we all reach out to people that you know, people that you trust, people that have been exposed to said player at college, different programs, friends that have been around him. And you just dig and you ask and you get different opinions and there's always an outlier, good and bad, with each of them. You try to peel those away. 'But from the time he's been here, the work ethic is incredible. He's one of the first people in the building. He's one of the last to leave. The way he's attacked the playbook and picking it up has been incredible. And it's been fun for me to watch Dak and Will (Grier), but really Dak take a mentorship role with Joe. The talent speaks for itself. You guys will see it. He made some incredible throws (last week). He's just an exciting young prospect that I think the sky's the limit for.' Milton has a unique way he learns a new offense. The traditional dry-erase board doesn't work for him. He prefers a piece of tape and poker chips. The tape is the line of scrimmage and the poker chips have letters written on them to symbolize the different skill position players. He prefers moving the chips over having to erase the board. His girlfriend has the script. She calls out a play. Milton repeats it back. He then goes to his chips and lines them up in the formation. The plan is to do that every day during the month between the end of minicamp and the start of training camp. 'It's way different,' Milton said of the Cowboys' offensive language. 'This offense here brings me back more to my college days. My last offense was more everybody get tagged on which routes. This offense here is more fast and for sure explosive. '… I feel like we're taking the right step in the right direction every day. We're paying attention to small details.' Milton envisions a great opportunity to learn from an experienced veteran like Prescott, who has started 122 NFL games. Schottenheimer believes Dallas has the ideal quarterback room for a 25-year-old Milton to grow as a player. 'It never stops,' Schottenheimer said. 'I've had young starters and veteran backups. I've had veteran starters and young backups. The quarterback position is a position that gets so much scrutiny that you're always trying to place an emphasis on: Are they getting better? Are they getting consistent? Are they doing the things they need to do? You try to piece that room together. Advertisement 'It is something you talk about, the mixing and matching and how it looks. I've heard other stories where some rooms didn't get along great and that's never a good thing. But we don't have that here. We have a great room. With Dak, Joe and Will, it's been awesome.' (Photo of Joe Milton: Fred Kfoury III / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former University of Colorado Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter gets married
Patriots OTA takeaways: Mike Vrabel's vibes and Drake Maye's relationship with Josh McDaniels Steve Burton welcomes ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss onto WBZ-TV's Sports Final to get his takeaways from last week's OTA sessions in Foxboro. Reiss chats about Mike Vrabel's incredible vibe and energy, and also highlights some big players on defense. He also discusses Drake Maye's rough Tuesday and why it's not a concern, and the QB's relationship with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. 6:46 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
