00:00Former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefan Diggs was just found not guilty on felony
00:04strangulation charges. Even though a jury cleared his name, the NFL officially announced his
00:08incident is still under review, meaning a legal suspension could still block his return to the
00:13field. To understand how we got to a Deadham District courtroom, we have to go back to December
00:172025. Jamila Mila Adams was living a highly curated life inside Stefan Diggs' mansion.
00:23And she wasn't just a guest, she was reportedly his live-in personal chef hired to manage his
00:27strict NFL season nutrition. But according to police reports on December 2nd, a bitter argument
00:32over money erupted over text message. Adams testified that Diggs walked into her unlocked bedroom,
00:37slammed her across the face, and choked her until she couldn't breathe. When she arrived at the
00:41police station crying, the incident instantly threatened to end Diggs' career. In fact,
00:46the Patriots cut him from his three-year contract just months later. But when the case finally made
00:50it to the jury this week, the prosecution's entire timeline ran directly into a wall. On Monday,
00:55Mila Adams took the witness stand, and that is where the narrative completely shifted.
00:59Under oath, Adams revealed that her relationship with the pro bowler was complicated. Before she
01:03was ever his chef, they met on Instagram and had a sexual relationship. But it was the financial
01:08cross-examination where the defense went on the offensive. Diggs' legal team started pressing Adams
01:13on the exact number she claimed she was owed. And in real time, the jury watched as glaring
01:18contradictions emerged between her initial statements and her actual bank records. And then came the moment that
01:23changed everything. The defense grilled her about a massive $5.5 million demand her teammate just three
01:29weeks before the trial began, presumably for her cooperation. Then when Adams tried to turn down Diggs,
01:35Mr. Diggs offered me $100,000, I'll separate my statement. Adams was repeatedly reprimanded by the
01:40judge for failing to answer, leaving a massive silent gap in front of the jury. But this was definitely
01:44working for the defense as their strategy was simple, paint the entire accusation as a calculated
01:50financial shakeup. They pointed out that the responding officer testified there was zero
01:54visible injuries on Adams' body. Even Diggs' chief of staff testified she saw Adams the same day looking
01:59completely normal. And a video has been circulating online accusing Adams of dancing after the alleged
02:04incident occurred. And while Adams was on the stand, Diggs himself chose not to testify,
02:09letting the financial gaps in the chef's story do the talking. After a two-day trial, the jury walked
02:14into the deliberation room. In a high-profile felony cases, juries can debate for days. But this jury,
02:19they were back in exactly one hour and 30 minutes, with the verdict of not guilty on all counts.
02:24But while Diggs completely cleared his name in court, his battle with the league is far from over.
02:29Directly following the not guilty verdict, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy issued an official
02:33statement making it clear that the league's internal investigation is moving forward.
02:37And under the NFL's strict personal conduct policy, the commissioner's office doesn't need a
02:41criminal conviction or even an arrest to issue a multi-game suspension. The league conducts its own
02:46separate interviews, reviews evidence independently, and uses a much lower standard of proof than a
02:51criminal court's beyond a reasonable doubt. Historically, star players have faced heavy
02:55suspensions despite having their legal charges completely dropped. For example, Ezekiel Elliott
03:00was suspended for six games in 2017 without ever facing criminal charges. Ben Rothensburg sat out
03:05four games in 2010, and James E. Winston faced a three-game suspension in 2018 under similar
03:10circumstances. As for Diggs' contract status, he put up major numbers during the 2025 season,
03:16leading the New England Patriots with 85 receptions and over 1,000 yards to help carry them all the way
03:21to Super Bowl 60. But New England released him from his three-year contract back in March reportedly due
03:26to massive salary cap hits that were about to kick in, meaning it's a corporate waiting game.
03:30So while the acquittal clears the legal path for a team to sign him, front offices are heavily weighing in
03:35risks of a sudden NFL suspension before putting a new contract on the table. So they know exactly what
03:41But Diggs' legal team argues that the high-profile professional athletes simply have a massive
03:45target on their back for multi-million dollar cash settlements. Meaning Stefan Diggs' legal trouble
03:49may be over, but his career is still very much up in the air. And at 32 years old, clearing
03:54his name
03:54means he's officially a free agent ready for the next season if a team is willing to take the gamble.
03:59But what do you think? Should he be able to play after the not guilty verdict? Drop your thoughts
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