New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty Friday to felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery charges stemming from an alleged dispute with his personal chef.
Diggs, 32, appeared briefly in Dedham District Court for his arraignment, which lasted about a minute. He was released on personal recognizance with the condition that he have no contact with the alleged victim, including through third parties. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for April 1.
The charges stem from a Dec. 2, 2025, incident at Diggs’ home in Dedham. According to court documents, the chef told police she and Diggs argued over money he owed her for her work. She alleged that Diggs smacked her across the face and then tried to choke her by wrapping the crook of his elbow around her neck from behind, leaving her short of breath. She reported the incident to Dedham police on Dec. 16.
Diggs’ attorney, Mitchell Schuster, told reporters after the hearing that the allegations are false.
“We’re confident that after the facts and evidence are reviewed in this case, he will be completely exonerated,” Schuster said.
Diggs changed attorneys the day before the arraignment. The case had been delayed from an earlier date to allow him to play in Super Bowl LX, in which the Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks.
The Patriots issued a statement supporting Diggs when the charges first became public.
Diggs has denied the allegations, with a previous attorney describing them as unsubstantiated and motivated by an unresolved financial dispute.
The court appearance came just days after Diggs suited up for the Super Bowl as a member of the Patriots. He was not required to post bail and left court without further comment.
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