Patriots’ Josh McDaniels Addresses Stefon Diggs Comments On Comfort Level
Stefon Diggs followed a breakout performance by noting that he’s still adjusting to the New England Patriots’ offense. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels thinks the wide receiver is further along than he indicated.
Diggs caught six of seven targets for a season-high 101 yards in last Sunday’s 42-13 win over the Carolina Panthers. The veteran wide receiver claimed after the game that his comfort level in New England’s offense remains a “five out of 10.”
McDaniels referenced that remark Thursday, per CLNS Media, when asked about Diggs’ versatility.
“It’s probably like a nine out of 10,” McDaniels said with a smile and wink. “In terms of understanding the system and the scheme, we probably got a little bit of juice left to squeeze out of the orange. Obviously it’s important, and I think he was being modest when he said that.”
McDaniels wasn’t the first coach to playfully discuss Diggs’ comments. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel joked about Diggs’ self-assessment on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” earlier this week.
“He should study more,” Vrabel said. “Five out of 10? We need to get going. I’ll have to talk to Stef today. Five out of 10. I went to Ohio State. That’s failing.”
Diggs clarified the quote on Wednesday, explaining that he was being a bit facetious to highlight his desire for further growth.
“The way I look at it, I never want to get too comfortable,” Diggs said, per MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “I said five out of 10 because if it’s eight out of 10, or nine out of 10, I don’t really have to look at my notes. I don’t really have to look over it multiple times. For me, I’m just trying to keep it at a comfort level of being hungry and humble.”
McDaniels and Co. will hope Diggs looks comfortable when leading the Patriots into a pivotal Week 5 showdown against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.
New York Giants Rookie One-Ups Shedeur Sanders
The New York Giants are gearing up for what they hope is a major 2025-26 season, and those in New York are hoping it’s a comeback year for the franchise. While the Giants still have their same head coach as last year in Brian Daboll, that’s pretty much the only thing that’s the same.
When it comes to the Giants’ quarterback roster, it’s big and totally new. The lineup features veteran Russell Wilson, veteran Jameis Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart. The team parted ways with signal-called Tommy DeVito before the regular seasons started.
The New York Giants traded up in the 2025 NFL draft to pick Dart as the No. 25 overall pick, giving their No. 34, No. 99 and a 2026 third-round pick to the Houston Texans. They obviously saw something special in him, and he’s already delivering in the form of a stellar preseason performance.
It’s not hyperbole to say that people haven’t been this excited about the Giants in a long time, and a lot of that has to do with Dart. Now, Dart is getting some praise over another high profile rookie, Shedeur Sanders, in a new feature.
New York Giants Quarterback Get Big Props
Dart is already being seen as a player who is on the rise. In an August 24 feature for FanSided, Wynston Wilcox take a temperature check on the rookie quarterbacks in the NFL.
“Everybody questioned the New York Giants for trading back into the first round to select Jaxson Dart, but after the preseason, it seems like a brilliant move,” Wilcox says in the piece, praising Dart. “He’s probably the only other rookie quarterback that could have outplayed Ward in the preseason. Dart finished 32-for-47 with 352 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.”
He adds that the New York Giants are probably “thrilled” to get Dart. “While he may not start a single game this year, Giants fans have to be optimistic about their future,” Wilcox adds. He also says that “when it’s time for Dart to take over, don’t be surprised when he elevates this Giants team.”
While Wilcox names Dart as a quarterback on the rise, he dubs Sanders as a quarterback who is “heading back to the classroom.”
“Sanders not getting first team reps and still at the bottom of the depth chart isn’t the coaching staff choosing favorites,” he notes. “It’s them shedding light to us about what they see in practice. And Sanders can both be really talented and not ready to be an NFL starter.” So, Wilcox says that Sanders is certainly still talented, but maybe just not as ready as Dart.
Giants Quarterback Russell Wilson is Still Starting
No matter how good Dart is on the field, Wilson is still the Giants’ starter for now. “Russ is our starter and we’re going to keep developing Jaxson,” Daboll said after the team’s postseason win over the New York Jets. He continued, saying, “Jaxson’s just got to continue to work to get better, and we’ve got to help him get better.”
Daboll also said that what they’re “trying to do is help Jaxson be the best quarterback he can be. Just like all the quarterbacks. Just like every player on the team.”
Those following the New York Giants should be so happy that the team has both Dart and Wilson as their signal-callers. Winston hasn’t gotten as much attention as those two, but he’s solid, too.
