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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- On Sunday evening, Stefon Diggs entered the New England Patriots auditorium and stepped up to the podium with an energetic hop.

"Everyone looks so comfortable," he said, greeting the media with a smile.

The Patriots had just cruised to a 42-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers, in which the wide receiver, too, looked comfortable. For the first time in 22 games, he crossed the 100-receiving yard threshold. He called it a "turn the corner" day.

"I'm just super excited and want to keep building," Diggs said.

When the Patriots signed the four-time Pro Bowler to a three-year, $69 million contract in March, there were many uncertainties.

It was unknown if Diggs, who sustained a torn right ACL last October, would be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season. If he was, there was no guarantee he could once again deliver as a No. 1 receiver in his 11th NFL season. Or how he would fit into the new Patriots regime led by coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Those questions percolated in the spring when Diggs was in and out of the team's voluntary workout program which had an otherwise high attendance rate. He made headlines by appearing in a video on a boat that went viral, forcing Vrabel to address it.

Behind the scenes, though, Diggs was working hard to rehab his ACL injury in Florida and to get back on the field as quickly as possible. He was ready by training camp, with his personal athletic trainer calling it a "historically fast" recovery.

Now four weeks into the 2025 season, Diggs, 31, is emerging as an ideal fit with the Patriots.

"Putting in that time, putting in that grind throughout camp, I feel like you don't know what it's going to be like until the season is here. That's when the pedal hits the metal and you get your confidence from growing within the system and getting used to a system and a quarterback -- and all these things are brand new to me," Diggs said Sunday.

"My focus has always been grinding and I'm going to figure it out. I'm probably going to work a little harder now, because when things are going right, you can't relax and get complacent."

Diggs now has momentum heading into a game he said he has been looking forward to, returning to face his former team, the Buffalo Bills, on Sunday at Highmark Stadium (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC) -- a contest marking the first time Diggs will play in Western New York, where he was once quarterback Josh Allen's go-to target, since the Bills traded him to the Houston Texans in April 2024.

The 2015 fifth-round pick ranks sixth in receiving yards (10,704) and touchdowns (70) since entering the NFL a decade ago.

While his on-field performances continue to evolve with the Patriots, Diggs has also emerged as a leader in the locker room. Since joining the team, Diggs has inspired teammates with pregame speeches. He has also developed a rapport with second-year quarterback Drake Maye, similar to what he did with Allen (then in his third season) when the Bills acquired him from the Minnesota Vikings in 2020.

"[Diggs is] a great teammate. I think that's the biggest thing," Maye said. "He's fire on game day. You see him even in practice, he wants to bring it. He thinks a lot of the guys around him. He wants to be a great teammate, he wants to bring the energy, and he wants the ball."

WHEN DIGGS SPRINTED onto the field before kickoff of the 2025 season opener, he made his way to the back left pylon of the far end zone, dropping to his knee to reflect. There was a lot going through his mind before his first game back after the injury.

"I took a little moment to be grateful and kind of bask in the ambiance of where I was, back doing what I love," he explained.

His torn ACL, his first major injury in the NFL, had challenged him in ways he never had been before. He acknowledged it was one of the hardest things he has ever experienced.

"I was in, like, a real, real dark space for a little while. I had to pull myself out of it. I still kind of go through it here and there," he said. "Probably just because where I'm at in my career right now, it was rough for me. I went through a lot in the offseason."

Diggs credits his rehab with Dr. Sharif Tabbah, of Florida-based Alkemē Sports Rx, for getting him back on the field quickly. The typical timeframe for receivers recovering from a torn ACL is 9-12 months, according to Tabbah. Diggs passed his physical with the Patriots July 19, just 8½ months after tearing his ACL, which Vrabel noted was a credit to how hard Diggs worked.

Tabbah, who trains NFL receivers Jerry Jeudy (Cleveland Browns), CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) and Rashee Rice (Kansas City Chiefs), among others, recalled seeing a social media post from Diggs immediately after surgery in which he was in a hospital bed with his head in his hands.

"Anyone could tell from the post he was going through it mentally, as many athletes do, especially when they haven't had a major injury in their careers," Tabbah said. "I kind of teased him and said, 'Man, you look like your life is over in these photos. Don't worry. We're going to bounce back. My goal for you is not to get back to 100%. It's to get you to 110%. I want you leaving here better than before the injury.'"

There was standard early progress in the rehab work, with Diggs' dedication reflected in bringing Tabbah to New York with him when plans called for him to be away from Florida. Then Tabbah said Diggs' recovery took off about four months in, when physical testing numbers indicated he could begin to work on cutting.

"As we started doing that, and he was doing so well so quickly, that's when it started to get really impressive," Tabbah said. "We were doing top-of-the-route stuff at four and half, five months, which is crazy. It was clean and smooth."

Among the methods Tabbah integrated into Diggs' rehab included traditional manual therapy, special electrical stimulation machines to help recruit more muscle fibers to get his strength back faster, an anti-gravity treadmill to progress to running and pool work for jumping, cutting and running. That all led up to Diggs returning to the field and focusing on football-type movements and footwork.

Along the way, Diggs also leaned on teammates and others around him, such as his girlfriend Cardi B, who recently announced they are expecting a child.

"Coming off injury isn't easy, but when you're around the right guys it makes it easier," he said to reporters earlier this season.

"My life could be a lot worse," Diggs added. "I'm blessed. I have a lot to look forward to each day. I have some beautiful kids. Got a beautiful support system. My life ain't that hard. There are a lot of people in the world who go through way worse things on a daily basis. Just roll with the punches, know what I'm saying?"

The Patriots were cautious with Diggs in the preseason, holding him out of games, and sometimes limiting his practice reps. So taking hits was on Diggs' mind entering the 2025 season. After a 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, Diggs said he sought out contact to help him take the next step in his return.

After the team's Week 2 win over the Dolphins in South Florida, in which Tabbah attended as Diggs' guest, the two connected to evaluate how the knee responded to increased demand and the load of the season. Tabbah was once again encouraged by what he saw and heard from Diggs.

They then gave the knee manual therapy and recovery work, followed by activation and corrective exercises, as well as balance drills.

"It was a tuneup, a check-in on how everything looked, and he looked great. I was pleased to see how well he continues to hold up despite such a historically fast return," Tabbah said. "He had maintained everything we worked on and was very confident. He told me he hasn't thought about his knee in any way on the field."

Diggs echoed those thoughts to reporters soon after.

"I feel great," he said in the Patriots' locker room. "I'm trying to stay feeling great. Now it's turning a key and being out there consistently, it's getting back to the feel of the game."

AGAINST THE PITTSBURGH Steelers in Week 3, Diggs made a play that Vrabel loved.

Running a shallow route across the middle, Diggs tied up two defenders, which allowed running back Rhamondre Stevenson to catch a short pass and run 23 yards. Vrabel pointed out Diggs had a similar play the week before that wasn't executed, so it showed his progress and also unselfishness.

For Diggs, this is what he has consistently referred to this season as "eating what's on my plate."

"Whatever they give you, take it, handle it with grace, and continue to push teammates," he explained. "That's where I am at this point [in my career].

"I'm here for whatever they need. I've been doing this for a long time, I'm a veteran, I'm healthy. Shout out to God. I'm not going to bite off more than I can chew, or I'm not going to ask [for] anything. I'm just going to handle what's in front of me."

Through four games, Diggs has been on the field for 55.5% of the offensive snaps, the third most among receivers behind Kayshon Boutte (75.2%) and Mack Hollins (57.9%). He ranks first on the team in receptions (19) and receiving yards (213) and is looking for his first touchdown.

Vrabel left open the possibility that Diggs' playing time increases, noting that some of it is tied to what packages have been utilized most (e.g. more two tight ends) and "trying to find a role for each and every [receiver]."

Meanwhile, Diggs insists his sole focus is on maximizing whatever he does get.

"Comparison is the thief of joy. I can't really think about what's going on around me. I'll be cheering for my guys -- always clap for everybody around me, I pretty much always have been that way," he said. "Even if you do want more, whatever is on your plate, you have to eat it. But I never want to fall into the trap of focusing on something else and not eating the food in front of me. I want to make sure I scrape the plate. Leave no crumbs."

Such an approach has positioned Diggs as a commanding presence within the team, even though he isn't one of the team's six captains.

"One of the cool things is watching his maturity as a leader and hearing him kind of be a champion of the cause for coach Vrabel, coach McDaniels and myself," said wide receivers coach Todd Downing, who was on the Vikings' coaching staff in 2018 when Diggs was in his fourth NFL season. "If there is something that we emphasize, he's going to have our backs with the young guys. Or if he sees somebody on the field not doing it, he'll hold them accountable.

"He's always had a relentless work ethic. He's been working diligently mentally to be able to handle everything we throw at him."

McDaniels, whose brother Ben serves as the Texans wide receivers coach and raved about Diggs last year, noted Diggs' intelligence in adapting to the Patriots' system.

"He has a lot of game experience and savvy. It doesn't take long to have a conversation with him about something you want to do, or if you have an idea or vision of how you want it to play out, and Stef can go out there and he's following you when you're speaking to him or we're watching film," Josh McDaniels said.

"[He's] very competitive, and in the right way. His leadership is intense, but it's the right type of intensity because he wants to win. Unselfish. He's been a very good teammate. Love working with him. Brings an excitement to it every day."

A win Sunday against one of Diggs' former teams would be surprising, as the Patriots enter as 7.5-point underdogs according to ESPN BET. Nonetheless, Bills fans might be surprised at what they see from Diggs and hear from him in the days leading up to the game.

"It's going to be a crazy atmosphere. Obviously, I spent a lot of years there. They have one of the best fan bases in the game, if not the best fan base. So, shout out to them," Diggs said. "In the division, they say it's one game, but it damn near counts as two. I'm excited for the challenge."