‘I’m a man of integrity,’ Texans’ Stefon Diggs says being team captain means ‘everything,’ attacks ‘narrative’

HOUSTON – Stefon Diggs held court Thursday afternoon inside the Texans’ locker room, warmly reflecting on his happiness to be in Houston, dismissing narratives about him from previous NFL stops and emphasizing a family connection with C.J. Stroud, his quarterback and friend.

The Pro Bowl wide receiver, in his most expansive comments since joining the Texans in an offseason trade from the Buffalo Bills, touched on a lot of areas surrounding him, even his love for fashion and his personal shoe brand with Asics he’s been sharing with his new teammates and friends across the nation.

Days before his first regular-season game with the Texans on the road against the Indianapolis Colts, it was obvious that Diggs and the Texans are in a strong, comfortable space together. That isn’t a surprise, though, given how welcoming his reception has been since joining the Texans, including being voted a team captain in balloting from his teammates.

Being a captain is something that Diggs set his ambitions on as soon as he was acquired by the defending AFC South champions. And he earned the status by sharing knowledge with his younger teammates and building a strong chemistry and timing with Stroud, including throwing sessions with him in Los Angeles and Miami.

“Everything,” Diggs said when asked what being named a team captain meant to him. “At this point in my career. Obviously, the past couple of years, I’ve been a captain. Going to a new team, new scenery, new people and earning the respect of my teammates, my coaches, when I say everything it means everything. I play this sport with a chip on my shoulder every day. I’m trying to play with a lot of patience and work ethic. So, to see them acknowledge that and they respect and appreciate you. I just want to do everything I can to be the best captain I can be.

“It was just something I feel like I had to work for. I had to earn something I wanted for myself. I feel like being a captain and that level of accountability not only just holds those around you accountable; it holds yourself accountable. You are who you are. You can’t run from that. I got here from being myself.”

Yes, the former Buffalo Bills star, acquired in a blockbuster trade, is fitting right into the Texans’ explosive offense. And, yes, the Texans’ offense has plenty of flexibility and diversity of downfield targets. The Texans have a solid argument that they have the most talented wide receiver trio in the NFL between Diggs, Tan Dell and Nico Collins, who signed a three-year, $75 million maximum value deal this offseason.

And Diggs has been welcomed by Stroud, coach DeMeco Ryans and the Texans organization. The diva label frequently attached to Diggs is something that general manager Nick Caserio has characterized as unfair.

“I’m a man of integrity,” Diggs said. “You can ask my peers what kind of player I am. I’m a man who works hard from myself. I’m working hard to earn and everything that I get. Common misconceptions happen all the time. I’m not mad at them. It’s easy to go with a narrative if you don’t do your research and it’s all word of mouth. It’s crazy because you’ve kind of got to rock with the narrative, I guess, if you don’t know me.

“If you believe in me, then you know me on a personal level because I’m up here, you’re gonna know what kind of man I am. My teammates will say it more than I will. I’m a man of integrity. I’m a man, and I pride myself on the hard work of myself and showing up each and every day.”

One of the most prolific wide receivers in the NFL over the past four seasons, Diggs’ relationship with Bills coach Sean McDermott had its ups and downs, according to league sources. Diggs frequently penned cryptic social media messages. And his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, made comments about wanting him to get out of Buffalo. Diggs and Bills quarterback Josh Allen have both praised each other repeatedly since the trade, emphasizing there’s no hard feelings and appreciating the four years they played together.

Several of Diggs’ former teammates have consistently praised him for his prodigious work ethic, passion to win and cited their deep friendships with the Maryland native. Diggs, who keeps a tight inner circle comprised of his friends from his high school and college days, has formed a strong bond with Stroud.

“Stef got named a captain, which is huge,” Stroud said. “He’s one of the biggest leaders on the offense.”

Diggs and Stroud have formed a fast friendship through their shared love of football and commitment to family.

“He’s family at this point,” Diggs said. “Things kind of fall into place how they’re supposed to. I look at him as family, not just my quarterback. I’m rocking with him through thick and thin. I always tell him I am with you when you’re right, I’m with you when you’re wrong.”

When the Texans acquired Diggs, they made a huge adjustment to his contract. They eliminated the final three years of his original four-year, $96 million extension, per a league source. The Texans have now shifted $3.515 million guaranteed that Diggs was due in 2025 to 2024 and made this a one-year guaranteed $22.5 million contract that includes a $250,000 workout bonus and a $15,000 per game active roster bonus, up to $255,000.

HIs salary-cap figure for this year is $5.8 million.

Diggs receives a $20.895 million signing bonus, His $1.21 million base salary is fully guaranteed for skill, injury and salary cap. And 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 are voidable years with $30 million base salaries annually for salary-cap accounting purposes. His salary-cap figure for 2024 is just $5.867 million due to this renegotiated contract.

The Texans, in an all-in mode after this blockbuster trade and a spending spree that includes a two-year, $51 million deal for Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, have made this a one-year arrangement with Diggs, for now. Nothing precludes them from doing a new deal with Diggs, if things go smoothly, or moving on after one year should he leave in free agency. They have this year to build a relationship, and that relationship is off to a fast start.

“I am really excited about adding Stefon to our team,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I mean, you talk about his influence, it’s not just his influence on the receivers, it’s just his influence on our entire team. Like his competitive spirit, what he brings each and every day, like it lights the fire in our entire team.

“So, I’m very pleased with what he’s done, the energy that he brings, and I’m excited to see him go do it in the regular season. But he’s been, he’s been a leader for us since the day he stepped on the field. And I’m very excited to see him continue to grow, continue to see him build, even better chemistry with his teammates.”

Diggs isn’t looking backward. He’s facing forward and focused on his next route, his next catch, his next touchdown.

“I always believe in where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be at my feet, you know where I’m at,” Diggs said. “I don’t talk bad about my old girlfriend to make my new girlfriend feel good. Being here, this is where I am right now. It’s my place and it’s amazing. It’s some great people here. I can say there’s a lot of southern hospitality here. I’m just happy to be where I am.”

Diggs has put in the time to get to know his teammates. He’s been generous with his time. And he’s earned the respect of his coaches.

“I really like his personality,” offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik said. “I’ve said it before, he’s one of us. I was pretty quick to see that once he was here, I was talking with him. He was around the guys. I mean, the fact that he was voted captain I think shows that he’s one of us. They respect him, they appreciate how much he works and he cares a lot.

“He’s going to do everything he can to prepare himself for game day to make sure he’s in the best spot he can be to go and perform. And he’s ultra-competitive.”

When Diggs isn’t playing football, he has a passion for fashion. He attended Paris fashion week, walking and going to shows as he modeled designer clothes. Diggs’ teammates are appreciative of the new kicks in their lockers, including safety Jimmie Ward.

“Man, he’s a great guy on and off the field,” Ward said of Diggs. “I love him.”

Diggs was voted most fashionable athlete by Complex. He has an eye for what he likes and his brand. It all matters to him, but not as much as football.

“I kind of give it a 30% rule,” Diggs said. “When I’m not playing football, I give all the things I love outside of football 30%. I still got to work out and do all the other things in the off season, but seeing things like that come to fruition. I’m extremely blessed. You know, I’m a creative through and through away from football. I kind of like, treat it that way.

“You know, obviously being fashionable and I think it’s all fun, but it’s something I kind of hold near and dear to my heart is things I have a passion for outside of football. I try not to get too much into my personal life, but I will share that. It’s especially fun. You know, not too many people get to own a shoe and my shoe did well. A lot of my inspiration and motivation comes from football, it comes from my family, comes from my friends. It’s a lot of glory to be given to God. I’m thankful. I’ve got a lot of things in the queue right now.”

And Diggs’ presence and proven game, along with tight end Dalton Schultz and running back Joe Mixon for an offense headlined by Stroud, an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, gives offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik plenty of ideas for his play-calling strategy this season for the defending AFC South champions.

“He has been great to work with,” Slowik said. “His big thing right now, kind of like we already talked about with some other guys is verbiage, just picking up verbiage. It is a little bit different than when he was in Buffalo, but there is nothing that he hasn’t seen or done before. Then, the football player. The man is just so competitive, and it shows on tape.

“He is a lot like our quarterback in that he will do absolutely anything necessary to win the game, whether he doesn’t have the ball, he has the ball in his hands, at all times he is in between the white lines and doing everything he can to win. He is a good route runner. He has all the receiver traits you can ask for, but what jumps out to me and what fits with us and what we are always engaged with is how competitive guys are, how tough they are, and the style play they have.”

When the Texans traded a 2025 second-round draft pick to the Bills to acquire Diggs, they added a veteran who’s in exceptional shape and has a wide variety of moves, strong hands and elusiveness in the open field.

This followed a previous trade attempt for wide receiver Keenan Allen from general manager Nick Caserio and an inquiry about wide receiver Mike Williams before he was released from the Los Angeles Chargers, according to league sources.

And the Texans added a player who has 810 career receptions for 9,995 yards and 67 touchdowns.

The possibilities for an offense that includes a Pro Bowl running back in Joe Mixon and a Pro Bowl left tackle in Laremy Tunsil should be endless.

For the past four seasons, Diggs caught at least 100 passes. That included 127 catches for 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020, 103 catches for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021, 108 catches for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 before dipping to 107 catches for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns last season as his role was decreased in the second half of last season.

The offense is led by Stroud, who joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana last season as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to lead the league in passing yards per contest and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Between Dell, who has made a speedy, full recovery from a gunshot wound through his leg this offseason as an innocent bystander in a Florida pass shooting and a broken fibula last season, Diggs and Collins, this offense can be extremely dangerous.

“It’s been really fun working with Diggs,” Ryans said. “You talk about a guy who’s dialed in, a guy who loves football. It’s been fun to work with him. It’s been fun just to see the chemistry that starts to build in our locker room with him, our quarterback, the other receivers, offensive players, defensive players. He’s going to be a really great fit with what we do here.”

Diggs is the elder statesman of a gifted receiving trio.

And Collins has been watching him since middle school.

“Steph, he’s that vet in the room, been needing him,” Collins said. “I’ve been watching Steph since I was in middle school, high school. He’s been very successful in his league, man. And for him to be in the room with us, man, and a teammate of mine, of everybody, man, just the success he’s had on the field, man, there’s no better feeling. You can pick his brain, pick how he moves, how he thinks. Coming off the line of scrimmage, if the defender is in a different position, little things like that, it really goes a long way.

“I see why he has that type of success. Him being a part of the room, joining the field with him. sharing the field with him, just picking his brain, we push each other. We push each other, everybody. I feel like as a unit, as a receiver room, man. We got the right pieces. For everybody to shine. I feel like we’re all going to push each other. And just play for one another. Play like that, man, can’t nobody stop you.”

Adding Diggs has transformed the defending AFC South champion Texans, behind the strength of a productive offseason into a trendy Super Bowl contender.

“I was very excited,” Stroud said. “I met him at the Pro Bowl, got to meet each other, got to meet his kids and to see what type of person he was. Just been able to grow our relationship from there. It’s really cool just to be able to go from not only that scene to now, him being a teammate of mine. Just really excited to get to work with him.

“He adds a ton of value to that room. There’s a lot of wisdom that he carries that I think he’ll spread to the other guys. He’s been reaching out to really everybody and I think that whole room in general is going to be great. I think we’re all going to feed off of each other. It’s going to be very fun and very exciting just to work with everybody in that room and I’m very excited for it.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com