Diggs is charged with a felony strangulation or suffocation count and a misdemeanor assault and battery stemming from an incident on December 2 with his personal chef. Diggs has denied the charges, and his arraignment has been moved to February 13, after the Super Bowl.
Barmore’s arraignment was also postponed; a judge this week agreed to delay the February 3 hearing until March. He is charged with misdemeanor domestic assault for allegedly throwing the mother of his child to the floor earlier this year, according to the Boston Globe. Barmore likewise denies the allegations, and his attorney, David E. Meier, asserted that no criminal conduct occurred.
On the field, both players had been central to New England’s turnaround. Diggs earned praise for returning from a torn ACL and revitalizing the Patriots’ receiver group, while Barmore, after a 2024 season hampered by blood clots, played all 17 games this year and contributed 58 pressures across the defense, including the three playoff games.
Both cases leave the players in legal jeopardy and potentially open to NFL review, which can lead to discipline before the 2026 season once the legal process plays out. Neither Diggs nor Barmore has offered substantial public commentary, though Barmore’s lawyer has maintained his client’s innocence.
The developments come as the Patriots navigate a season-long turnaround amid ongoing legal questions, with the outcomes of these cases still to be determined in the weeks and months ahead.
