Why Stefon Diggs can still play for the Patriots amid assault allegations
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs took the field on Sunday, January 4, just days after news broke that he was accused of assaulting his live-in private chef during an altercation in December.
With Diggs, 32, facing charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and assault and battery, some have asked why he is still allowed to play even though Diggs has denied the claims.
“Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations,” Diggs’ attorney said David Meier said in a statement to We weekly on December 30. “They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated and never investigated – because they did not occur. The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: they are the direct result of a financial dispute between employee and employer that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”
In the meantime, he could end up on the NFL’s Commissioner Exempt List, which places a player on paid administrative leave if he faces legal charges. Players on the exempt list are not allowed to participate in practices or attend games.
Stefon Diggs
Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty ImagesThe NFLs Personal conduct policy states that a player “may be placed” on the Commissioner Exempt List when “a player is formally charged with: (1) a criminal offense; or (2) a violent crime.”
“Formal charges may take the form of an indictment by a grand jury, the filing of charges by a prosecutor, or an arraignment in criminal court,” the policy reads.
An NFL spokesperson said this We weekly that the charges Diggs faces were “charges filed with a law enforcement agency, and not formal charges as explained in league policy.” For that reason he is still eligible to play.
The personal conduct policy also outlines what can happen if a player is accused of violence but “further investigation is required.” In that case, “the commissioner may place a player on the commissioner’s exempt list on a limited and temporary basis to allow the league to conduct a preliminary investigation.”
“The New England Patriots are aware of the allegations that have been made against Stefon Diggs,” the Patriots said in a December statement. “Stefon has informed the organization that he categorically denies the allegations. We stand with Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will fully cooperate with appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not be commenting further at this time.”
It’s possible that the NFL has decided that more evidence of Diggs’ alleged actions needs to be presented before taking such a step.
It may also be beneficial for the NFL to wait and see as the investigation progresses. If the league were to suspend Diggs now, he could take the case to court, arguing that the NFL somehow failed to adequately conduct its investigation.
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady both had their suspensions reversed after a judge issued an order.
New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs used a curious food analogy to describe his team’s consistent play just days after he was accused of choking and assaulting his private chef. “We have this little saying: ‘Don’t mix up the macaroni and cheese,’” Diggs, 32, told reporters after the Patriots’ 38-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins. […]
In Elliott’s case, a judge ruled he had not received a fair hearing from an arbitrator before being suspended for six games in 2017 for a series of off-field incidents.
As for Brady, a judge has ruled that the NFL issued his deflategate suspension with “insufficient notice” and that Brady’s team was denied the right to investigate the NFL’s legal counsel and certain investigative files.
In both cases, an appeals court ultimately reinstated the suspensions and the players had to serve time.
Diggs will be arraigned on January 23, two days before the AFC Championship game. For now, he will remain useful no matter how long the Patriots stay in the playoffs.
