New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs is about to face a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault charge tied to an alleged Dec. 2 incident. A woman alleges that the dispute started over money she believed he owed her and escalated into physical violence. And now, just one day before the hearing, Diggs made a major change to his legal representation.

“The 32-year-old has retained Sara Silva of Silva Kettlewell and Pignatelli LLP, moving on from Michael DiStefano,” according to court records viewed by TMZ Sports. “We’ve reached out to Silva for comment but have not yet heard back.”

As per TMZ Sports, Silva arrives with a strong resume. She carries more than 20 years of trial experience and earned recognition as the 2020 Lawyer of the Year in Massachusetts by Boston University School of Law.

Diggs’ arraignment was first set during the playoffs but delayed until after the season ended, allowing the Patriots receiver to avoid a courtroom appearance amid the games. Meanwhile, the incident report paints a troubling picture.

Diggs’ personal chef told police he slapped her and attempted to choke her during an argument over a salary disagreement. On Dec. 16, she reported the matter, stating that Diggs confronted her on Dec. 2 after he walked through her unlocked bedroom door to discuss ongoing text messages regarding money she believed he owed her.

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During that exchange, she alleged Diggs grew upset and struck her across the face. After she tried to push him away, she said he then “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck.”

She claimed that Diggs stood behind her with his arm wrapped around her, making it difficult for her to breathe and causing her to feel like she “could have blacked out,” and when she tried to break free, she asserted that Diggs tightened his grip.

Finally, she alleged Diggs threw her onto the bed and said something along the lines of “Thought so.”

Although she did not photograph any injuries, she reported redness on her upper chest. Days later, when reporters asked about the charges, Diggs declined to discuss the situation.

Statements from Stefon Diggs, the Patriots, and the NFL

Just days after the allegations surfaced, Stefon Diggs addressed reporters on January 2 and made his position clear. He refused to get into specifics, stressing the legal limits around the situation.

“It’s definitely an open case, so I can’t even say anything about it,” Diggs said in his first remarks since the charges became public.

Diggs also called it a “very emotional time” and admitted he was “taken aback by some things that have been going on. “Then he added that he’ll only take football-related questions as the Patriots prepared for their regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium, and he did exactly that.

Meanwhile, around that same window, attorney David Meier issued a firm response, saying the claims “are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated,” and “never investigated because they did not occur.”

“The timing and motivation for making the allegations are crystal clear: they are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” Meier said. “Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”

Soon after, the Patriots organization stepped in

“The New England Patriots are aware of the accusations that have been made regarding Stefon Diggs,” the team said. “We support Stefon. We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary.”

TMZ Sports also reported that the NFL is aware of the new allegations and has remained in contact with the Patriots. So now, all eyes turn to how this legal fight unfolds from here.