Mike Vrabel Reveals Reason Stefon Diggs Misses Patriots' Preseason Opener

Mike Vrabel Reveals Reason Stefon Diggs Misses Patriots' Preseason Opener originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The New England Patriots kicked off their preseason schedule with a 48-18 victory over the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium on Friday night. The game presented an opportunity for the Patriots to get their first real runout of the season, and though the Patriots’ starters saw the field, one veteran player was missing from the lineup.

It should be no surprise that veteran receiver Stefon Diggs was absent from the lineup. The former Texans, Bills, and Vikings star is less than a year removed from ACL reconstruction surgery, but has progressed well through training camp and OTAs after being cleared for contact. Despite that, the Patriots left Diggs out of the lineup in the win against the Commanders, though he was seen cheering on teammates on the sideline.

Patriots’ head coach, Mike Vrabel, appeared on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday morning, and when asked whether or not holding Diggs out of the lineup on Friday night was a precautionary move or not, Vrabel revealed why, though the answer may be seen as a little cryptic.

“Coach’s decision,” Vrabel responded to the question, and despite the succinct response, the answer might leave a lot to be desired, especially given the fact that there was a brief pause before Vrabel’s answer.

Diggs was seen partying on a boat during OTAs back in May, and his decision to do so may well have rubbed Vrabel the wrong way. On top of that, Diggs wasn’t seen on the field in the Patriots’ joint practice with the Commanders until 45 minutes into the action, with the veteran receiver seen participating on the conditioning field before joining team drills.

Related: Patriots Should Unleash Drake Maye in One Key Area, According to ESPN’s QB Expert

Considering Diggs has provided a valuable veteran boost to the offense, as well as the Patriots likely opting for a precautionary approach to his return to the field, it’s likely that Diggs was never going to suit up in the first game of the preseason. Regardless, it remains to be seen if Diggs is in Vrabel’s doghouse right now.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 11, 2025, where it first appeared.