Diggs has been impressive on and off the field since being acquired from Buffalo

If wide receiver Stefon Diggs performs as well on the field this season as he did in his first interview session with the Houston media this week, head coach DeMeco Ryans will be doing somersaults in the hallways of NRG Stadium.

Anyone expecting fireworks from Diggs about his final season in Buffalo, his trade to the Texans or his relationship with Bills quarterback Josh Allen was seriously disappointed. Diggs said all the right things about his trade this week and expressed nothing but love and respect for his former quarterback.

“I feel like he played a complex role in my career,” Diggs said of Allen.

“Josh is still my guy. He really embraced me, he kind of had that southern hospitality. (I) probably wouldn’t be here without him. I have a lot of love for that boy.”

Diggs, who spent four years with the Bills after being traded from Minnesota, averaged 111 catches, 1,343 yards and nine touchdowns while playing with Allen. They were legitimate Super Bowl contenders every season they played together. Diggs can give Allen a hug, a handshake or both on Oct. 10 when the Texans face the Bills at NRG Stadium.

Diggs was asked about the perception among fans and media that his final season in Buffalo did not go as well as he and the Bills had hoped and that his career there did not go well finished.

“I don’t take things personal from people I don’t know personally,” he said. “When you base your opinion on what you hear from someone, it’s different if you know them personally. Not many people know me personally and I don’t share many of my thoughts.”

Diggs prefers to look ahead to what he can do for the Texans and what the Texans can do for him – help him reach his first Super Bowl. He approached Minnesota and Buffalo.

“I continue (working),” he said. “I’m going into my 10th year in the league. Obviously, I’ve done a lot of work to get to where I am. The level of respect is still there. They know who I am as a player, and I’m a real competitor. I like to win.

Diggs has six consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards. He has at least 100 catches in his last four seasons. In 2023, he ends his career in Buffalo with 107 receptions, 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns. But there were persistent trade rumors, especially after the Bills changed offensive coordinators, and the philosophy became more run-oriented and less Diggs-oriented.

“I kind of felt like it was going in that direction,” he said of his trade. “Throughout the season, (I) had ups and downs, especially after the first eight (games). We had coaching changes and different things went different ways, differences in scheme terms and the ups and downs.

“You kind of feel it in the air. When I got traded, I was happy. I was in a good position. I told God to light my way, and here I am. (God) don’t make any mistakes. I’m standing firm (with) that. When I say I smiled, I smiled.

And Diggs should smile. He plays for a team that finished 10-7 in the Ryans’ first season and beat Cleveland in the playoffs before being eliminated in Baltimore. The Texans are projected as Super Bowl contenders, and one of the reasons is the passing game.

Quarterback CJ Stroud has three outstanding wide receivers: Diggs, Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Interestingly, none were drafted beyond the third round. Tight end Dalton Schultz was re-signed and running back Joe Mixon was acquired in a trade with Cincinnati.

Knowing he was likely going to be traded, Diggs became interested in the Texans after spending time with Stroud at the Pro Bowl.

“At the end of the season, there was a lot of gray area as to what I was going to do, whether I was going to be in Buffalo or not,” he said. “Going into the Pro Bowl, it just so happened that (Stroud) wasn’t too far away from me to suit up. We cut him up a little bit and I got to know him a little bit. I was like: ‘He’s pretty.’ (That’s) when things started to hit the fans and Houston was on the radar.

“It’s just the beginning (and) it’s a work in progress. I’m getting a little used to the heat. I’m having a lot of fun hanging out with the guys and building that camaraderie. I’m I’ve been in the league for a while now, so being around a good group of guys is always a breath of fresh air.

Diggs was asked about lessons he learned with the Vikings and Bills that could serve him well with the Texans.

“I’m a thoughtful person,” he said. “I had to look at where I came from and I had to learn a lot of things. Whether it was in Minnesota (or) Buffalo, what were the things that worked and what were the things that could have helped in this situation ?

“I feel like the things I’m putting off are just taking up a lot more time. Football is football, but you don’t know what an extra meeting would do, or extra time after practice or some extra time. extra time in the morning. Maybe a few things can motivate you and do something that helps you on the field. That extra time you put in could help you win another match. question of effort and work, because I do it.

Executive vice president/general manager Nick Caserio acquired Diggs, a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft and a fifth-round selection in 2025 for a second-round pick next year acquired from Minnesota. Ryans likes everything he’s seen from Diggs since the trade.

“He’s the guy I thought I was going to get,” Ryans said. “A guy who made plays. Every time we threw the ball to him, he got it. Confident guy. Great teammate. Great energy around the building. I’m excited to continue to see his growth and (him) learning our offense and the way we do things, I couldn’t be happier with where he is right now.

No one is more excited that Diggs is on the roster than Stroud, the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Not only does Stroud get Diggs and Mixon, but a healthy Dell is back, which should give the Texans one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL.

“He fit in really well,” Stroud said of Diggs. “Coming in with my head down (and) just working. He helped me a lot. He comes from a good system. They (Bills) did a lot of things with him.

“He’s been a leader, he’s really been selfless and he wants to see the other guys eat. That was his main goal. He wanted to be with other dogs and he took on this role where there’s a dog everywhere. He wanted that, and that’s what we bring to the table. He’s been just incredible so far, and I’m very excited to work with him.