“Honestly, I’m just worried about practice today,” Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels said.
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McDaniels spoke for the first time Thursday following criminal charges filed against wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive tackle Christian Barmore.
McDaniels says Diggs has been practicing and that’s where his focus is.
“I certainly can’t speak for Stef, I know we had a good day at work yesterday and I know he’s had a great day so far in terms of being ready to go out and go through our stuff,” McDaniels said.
“He’s the ultimate leader, he demands the best from all of us on the offensive side of the ball and from himself,” Rhamondre Stevenson said Thursday.
Patriots players also continue to show support for their teammates despite all the off-field distractions this week.
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“Just stay focused, just come to work like we’ve been doing, do our best and reap the rewards on Sundays,” Stevenson said.
Diggs faces assault and strangulation charges after his former private chef accused him of strangling her following an argument over unpaid wages on December 2.
Diggs denies these allegations.
“I think the NFL is going to take a little time here, and I say that because the evidence hasn’t been presented, we still don’t know more than the allegations, we know the allegations are very serious, but in the case of Diggs, is there any evidence to support it?” said Michael McCann, director. from the UNH Sports and Entertainment Law Institute.
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McCann says text messages have been submitted so far in the Diggs case, but they only talk about unpaid wages and not allegations of physical violence.
As for Barmore, he faces domestic battery charges for throwing a woman to the ground in August.
His lawyer says there was no “criminal conduct.”
“This will remain in the Patriots’ sphere for the rest of the season, but in terms of players missing time because of this, there’s a good chance that won’t happen until next season,” McCann said.
The NFL could decide to put a player on the ‘Exempt’ list, which would be a paid suspension, but at this point the NFL says that both Diggs and Barmore are eligible to play while these investigations continue.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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