The Patriots‘ storybook 2025 season took a dramatic shift Tuesday when star wide receiver Stefon Diggs faced criminal charges. Things took another turn for the worse Wednesday when allegations of domestic violence against starting defensive tackle Christian Barmore surfaced.<\/b>
\nThe Patriots\u2019 storybook 2025 season took a dramatic shift Tuesday when star wide receiver Stefon Diggs faced criminal charges.
Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked how disappointing it is to deal with the distractions that both sets of allegations bring.
\u201cI would say not disappointing at all. I think that \u2014 these are allegations, like you mentioned in your question,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cIt\u2019s things that we have to handle and every day that there\u2019s distractions. Some are smaller than others. I\u2019m confident that we\u2019ll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.\u201d
Diggs is charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges, according to court documents. An arraignment is set for Jan. 23, two days before the AFC Championship Game.
Diggs told the Patriots that he \u201ccategorically denies the allegations,\u201d the team released in a statement Tuesday.
Barmore is facing one misdemeanor charge of assault and battery on a family\/household member, according to court documents. His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 3.
His attorney, David Meier, who is also representing Diggs, said in a statement to the media, \u201cWe are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.\u201d
Vrabel was asked if there was any in-house punishment coming for Diggs or Barmore.
\u201cI don\u2019t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cWe\u2019ll let the process take its toll.\u201d
Barmore was not in the facility Wednesday due to illness, Vrabel said. Diggs was at Gillette Stadium but did not hold his typical weekly media availability.
The NFL released a statement Wednesday, \u201cRegarding both the Diggs and Barmore matters which are under review of the Personal Conduct Policy: There is no change to the status of Diggs or Barmore. Both are eligible to play at this time.
\u201cPursuant to the Personal Conduct Policy, consideration for placement on the Commissioner Exempt List may be considered following formal charges in the form of an indictment by a grand jury, the filing of charges by a prosecutor, or an arraignment in a criminal court.\u201d
Last season, the NFL placed ex-Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers on the commissioner\u2019s exempt list when he was arrested and charged with assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and possession of a class \u201cB\u201d substance. Peppers was placed on the commissioner\u2019s exempt list four days after he was arrested. He was removed from the list after seven games. After the season concluded, Peppers was found not guilty of assault.
Vrabel said Wednesday that he has not heard anything from the NFL about potential league punishment.
\u201cI haven\u2019t had a call with the NFL,\u201d Vrabel said.
The Patriots are 13-3 on the season and were crowned AFC East champions after last week\u2019s win over the Jets combined with a Bills loss to the Eagles. They face the Dolphins in Week 18, and with a win and a Broncos loss, they can still earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Vrabel was asked if he\u2019s afraid of Diggs\u2019 and Barmore\u2019s legal matters causing distractions within the team.
\u201cAfraid? No, not afraid. I\u2019m 50 years old. Gonna be 51. I\u2019m not afraid. I love coaching this football team, and I love the way that they come to work,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cI love the youth. I love the veterans. I love the leadership.
\u201cAnd I really have appreciated everyone\u2019s growth throughout this entire process. That\u2019s the thing that I really enjoy is just, you know, guys like TreVeyon (Henderson) and Kyle (Williams) being excited, and Will (Campbell) being excited about coming back, and on our quarterback, and the way Drake (Maye) has grown. Our veteran leadership from Stef and Morgan (Moses) and Garrett (Bradbury) on offense, and the consistency that big Mike\u2019s (Onwenu) had, and Hunter (Henry), we talked about his consistency. That\u2019s what I \u2014 I want the best for these guys on the field and off the field.\u201d
The Patriots said in their statement Tuesday that they support Diggs.
Vrabel was asked what specifically that meant.
\u201cThat everybody that we care about and have been close to for a while, that we support,\u201d Vrabel said. \u201cAnd we do. We understand that there\u2019s allegations, but we also want to support each and every player and each and every coach and each and every staff member.\u201d
Vrabel said the Patriots found out about the allegations against Diggs \u201cwhen they were able to make us aware from the court filings and things like that.\u201d
Patriots players said their focus is on the Dolphins this week, not any possible distractions that Diggs\u2019 and Barmore\u2019s charges could bring.
\u201cWe\u2019re focused on the Dolphins 100%,\u201d Moses said. \u201cEverything that we talked about today, and the identity of what they bring. They\u2019re 5-2, I think, in the last seven games. And I think in those five games that they won, they\u2019ve had 13 turnovers.\u201d
Added Bradbury: \u201cHonestly, you guys probably know more than I do. So the message is, honestly, let\u2019s just focus on where we\u2019re at, where our feet are, and we got to practice today to prepare for the Dolphins.\u201d
Diggs is the Patriots\u2019 leading receiver this season with 82 catches for 970 yards with four touchdowns. The Patriots also placed wide receiver Mack Hollins on injured reserve last week. If Diggs did receive any sort of punishment, the team would be down to Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and rookies Kyle Williams and Efton Chism at wide receiver on their 53-man roster.
Barmore has 26 tackles, one sack and nine QB hits in 16 games with 15 starts this season. He also has one tackle for loss. Barmore was benched earlier this season for undisclosed disciplinary reasons.
Defensive tackle Milton Williams threw his support behind Barmore and Diggs.
\u201cJust good dudes, some of the best dudes I\u2019ve been around,\u201d Williams said. \u201cGreat teammates, great leaders, and they done a lot for our team this year.\u201d
The Patriots will have a normal week of practice despite the holiday this week. They\u2019ll be back in the facility Thursday and Friday for practice before Sunday\u2019s 4:25 p.m. ET game against the Dolphins at home.<\/p>\n