There’s never a dull summer in Foxborough. Not when the Patriots’ biggest offseason splash is also moonlighting as Cardi B’s royal consort. Not when that same wideout – 31 years old with a torn ACL – also happens to be Robert Kraft’s latest million-dollar dice roll. It’s been nearly two decades since Tom Brady turned the Patriots into a monarchy. These days, the throne’s been vacant, and Kraft’s been searching for a new face of the empire. Stefon Diggs was supposed to be that guy – decorated, elite, headline-worthy. 

But Foxborough’s buzz is now stuck between touchdown dreams and TMZ chaos. Diggs is already running routes, yes. But he’s also running through Paris with Cardi while fans try to decode every deleted Instagram post. The problem? Kraft isn’t in the mood for mixtape drama or social media stunts. He wants wins. And judging by his recent reaction on-camera, he’s not quite ready to call Cardi B ‘family.’

It all started with a reel posted by Dudes On Dudes on Instagram – Rob Gronkowski asking Kraft for his favorite rapper. The Patriots’ owner listed Jay-Z and Meek Mill like a man sticking it on the wall. Gronk pressed him: “What about Cardi B? She’s dating one of your players right now, RKK. You can’t leave her out there.” Kraft’s response? A classic deflection with a dig: “Ask me the question after this season. And we’ll see how that torn ACL performs.” So, Kraft isn’t jumping on the Cardi x Diggs hype train. Not yet. The man wants production, not PDA. Diggs is on a prove-it deal in more ways than one. 

Stefon Diggs tore his ACL on October 27, 2024, just as he was heating up in Houston and trending toward another 1,000-yard season. And this made his late signing with the Patriots – on Day 15 of free agency – a calculated risk. While his recovery has been promising, with Diggs already running routes at full speed during OTAs and minicamp, questions remain about how his 31-year-old body will hold up. And until he proves he’s still that guy, Robert Kraft isn’t handing out trust or praise too early.

As far as Cardi B and Diggs are concerned, Cardi unloaded on X this week, slamming gossipers with a flurry of “shut the f— up” tweets, reminding fans to touch grass and go shopping. Then, just to remind the world that she and Diggs are still good, she reposted a workout clip with him from earlier that day. Breakup rumors? Consider them pancaked like a blitzing linebacker.

The couple’s love story kicked off last fall, after Cardi’s messy divorce from Offset. From New York nightclubs to Knicks playoff games, they’ve been inseparable since going public in May. France in June. Jumbotron PDA. Gym clips. And now a minor PR headache in Boston. But while the world obsesses over Cardi’s tweets and Kraft’s side-eyes, Diggs is tunnel-visioned.

Stefon Diggs sends a message loud and clear

In his latest YouTube drop, Diggs didn’t dance around the moment; he attacked it like a corner route. “I was a fifth-round draft pick. I beat everybody out of a job,” he said. “That’s how I got my start. I got my opportunity, and I took advantage, and I got better each and every week.” That chip hasn’t moved an inch in 10 NFL seasons. If anything, it’s gotten sharper. Now with the Patriots, Diggs isn’t just trying to bounce back from an ACL – he’s trying to beat skepticism, and a stacked AFC East, all while learning the playbook on one good knee.

And he knows there’s no room for error. “Now, I’m going into the new situation. I love that God gave me the opportunity again. …There is no second chances with this [expletive]. You gotta take advantage of the right now.” That’s not just motivational poster talk – that’s a veteran who understands how fast the NFL moves when you’re 31 and coming off a major injury. For Diggs, it’s now-or-never. And in Foxborough, where patience isn’t policy, he’ll need to look like WR1 by Week 1.

The Patriots desperately need a No. 1 receiver. And Diggs – if healthy – is still that dude. He was ranked second in ESPN’s receiver score before the injury and ran routes like nothing happened this spring. If he returns to form, Foxborough will forget about Kraft’s Cardi B hesitation real quick.