Stefon Diggs had himself a game to remember. Heading into the Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets, Spotrac reported that the New England Patriots wide receiver needed just four receptions to trigger a $500K contract bonus. That milestone came midway through the second quarter, when Diggs hauled in a pass from second-year quarterback Drake Maye, his fourth of the afternoon.

Just like that, Diggs not only walked away with a dominant 42–10 win but also pocketed an extra half a million dollars. What made it even better was how unexpected it all was. After the game, Maye admitted he had no idea that his touchdown throw had helped Diggs cash in on an incentive. Now that he does, though, the quarterback has a simple request in return: dinner.

“No, but I’ll make sure to tell him he needs to buy me dinner. We’re not looking to hunt up incentives, we’re looking to hunt up wins,” the quarterback said after the game.

Diggs joined the Patriots earlier this year after what was, by his standards, a frustrating 2024 season with the Houston Texans. The wideout tore his ACL and was limited to just eight games, never really finding a rhythm. Fast forward to now, and while these aren’t quite the peak Buffalo Bills numbers, Diggs has quietly become the Patriots’ most reliable receiving option on a team firmly in the Super Bowl conversation.

Heading into the Week 17 matchup, Diggs had totaled 869 yards on 76 catches with three touchdowns. With just four more catches needed to unlock a $500K incentive, he wasted no time cashing in. Diggs finished the afternoon with six receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown, leading a Patriots passing attack that totaled 285 yards.

In the process, Diggs recorded his fifth 100-yard game of the season. And with one regular-season game still left, another 1,000-yard campaign now feels inevitable. And if he manages to tally 1,000+ yards, the receiver will cash in another half-million-dollar incentive, should he stay involved with the Patriots in the regular season finale as the Patriots gear up for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, with Drake Maye making his expectations clear, Diggs responded the only way he knows how – by sending the praise right back to his quarterback.

Stefon Diggs didn’t expect this kind of performance from Drake Maye

A lot went right for the Patriots in their Week 17 win over the Jets. And almost all of it started with Drake Maye. New England capped off a perfect 8-0 road season, as the second-year quarterback steered the offense to a dominant, wire-to-wire performance. The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first six drives and never allowed the Jets to settle into the game.

That opening stretch pretty much told you how the day was going to go. For Maye, it turned into a career outing. He tossed a personal-best five touchdown passes before the game was fully out of reach, continuing a season-long pattern of calm, efficient quarterback play. And it wasn’t just this game that stood out. For Stefon Diggs, it felt like a snapshot of what Maye has been all year.

“He (Maye) surprised all of us,” Diggs said. “I knew he was going to be good. But no, I didn’t know he was going to be this good. I’m just super proud of him. He approached this game in the right way. And I look forward to seeing more.”

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Maye finished the afternoon 19-of-21 for 256 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, and just one sack taken, a theme the QB has been following throughout the season. Entering Week 17, he sat just shy of 4,000 passing yards at 3,947, ranked fourth in the league, while his 25 touchdown passes tied him for sixth.

That production explains why his name keeps popping up in MVP conversations. Whether he wins it or not is a debate for another time. What matters right now is this: at 13–3, the Patriots, with Maye running the offense, are locked in and headed toward his first postseason run.