Stefon Diggs, former wide receiver for the New England Patriots, has been found not guilty on charges of assault and strangulation against his private chef.
Diggs was acquitted of the felony charges following a two-day trial. The charges stemmed from accusations made by his private chef, Jamila Adams, who said he assaulted her in December 2025, per CBS Sports.
Jamila Adams filed charges about three weeks after the purported Dec. 2 incident and told police that Diggs entered her bedroom and smacked her following a discussion about money he owed her. She also claimed that Diggs attempted to choke her when she tried to push him away. Diggs’ assistant was also alleged to have asked Adams to sign a nondisclosure agreement before her payment.
Diggs denied the allegations and in February pleaded not guilty to both charges. His attorneys said the assault never happened and questioned whether the dispute was about money or relationship tensions, potentially stemming from a disagreement over a planned trip to Miami.
Multiple witnesses called by the defense testified that they did not see any altercation or strange behavior between Diggs and Adams on the day of the alleged assault. The defense also noted that no physical evidence had been presented corresponding to Diggs’ alleged guilt. At one point, the prosecution even described Adams as a “sometimes lover” of Diggs and not a “perfect witness.”
Following the acquittal, Diggs’ attorneys said that he can now sign to any NFL team as a free agent after the New England Patriots released him during the off-season with two years left on his three-year contract, clearing $16 million in cap space.
“Any team that signs him will be lucky to have him,” said the attorneys. “We are very pleased and happy that Stefon will continue on and play football in the National Football League.”