FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Stefon Diggs just lost Super Bowl LX, his high-profile relationship with Cardi B, and potentially his future with the New England Patriots. Yet, the veteran wide receiver still found time to hit the internet on Monday, flashing custom jewelry and accessories heavily rumored to be parting gifts from the Grammy-winning rapper. Diggs and Cardi B officially cut ties after the Patriots suffered a crushing 29-13 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks on February 8 at Levi’s Stadium. Now, with a massive contract ballooning and serious felony assault charges hanging over his head, head coach Mike Vrabel and the New England front office face a multi-million-dollar ultimatum.
A Post-Super Bowl Flex Gone Viral
The tension fractured before the Lombardi Trophy even found its way to Seattle. Cardi B reportedly left Levi’s Stadium midway through the game after feeling disrespected by sideline guests, scrubbing Diggs from her social media accounts shortly after. Despite the very public split, she refused to let the internet tear down the father of her child. While performing at the Kia Forum for her Little Miss Drama Tour, she fired back at rival rapper BIA and the surrounding critics with pure venom.
“Let me tell you somethin’, just because I ain’t f****n’ with my baby daddy doesn’t mean you get to talk about my baby daddy, b****! This for you, b****!”
— Cardi B, Musician / Diggs’ Ex-Partner
The $63.5 Million Question
The off-field theatrics only scratch the surface of the turbulence surrounding the 32-year-old receiver. Diggs delivered between the hashes this season, racking up 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns. He became the first Patriot to cross the thousand-yard threshold since Julian Edelman hauled in heavy yardage back in 2019. However, production rarely shields a player from NFL economics.
Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5 million contract in March 2025. Fast forward to today, and his base salary is scheduled to explode from $2.9 million to an aggressive $20.6 million for the 2026 season. His cap hit skyrockets to $26.5 million. Paying elite money to a receiver entering his age-33 season is risky; paying it to a receiver actively fighting felony strangulation and assault charges involving a former private chef is a different magnitude of gamble.
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
The Patriots are staring down a March 13 deadline, the exact date $6 million of Diggs’ base salary becomes fully guaranteed. New England sits on roughly $40.5 million in cap space. Cutting ties with Diggs before June 1 instantly clears $16.8 million, leaving behind a digestible $9.7 million in dead cap. That maneuver catapults their spending power to $57.3 million, giving the front office plenty of ammunition to build a younger, faster arsenal around quarterback Drake Maye.
Vrabel demands discipline and accountability. The combination of a massive salary cap anchor and severe court appearances creates an easy exit ramp for a franchise desperate to rebuild a championship culture. Diggs proved he can still torch a secondary, but the baggage he carries into the 2026 free agency window might be too heavy for New England to keep on the flight.
