Stefon Diggs has quickly made a splash with the Houston Texans by shelling out $100,000 (£78,000) to secure his favourite jersey number from a teammate.
Diggs, who was traded to the Texans by the Buffalo Bills on Wednesday, paid defensive back Jimmie Ward for his No. 1 jersey - the same number Diggs wore during his college days at Maryland. According to ESPN, Ward has now switched to No. 20, the number he wore with the San Francisco 49ers.
This isn't the first time Diggs has contemplated a jersey number change. In 2021, when the NFL permitted wide receivers to don single-digit numbers, he considered taking No. 1 with the Bills but decided against it, citing fairness to fans who had already purchased his jersey.
The 30-year-old, who wore No. 14 with the Bills and Minnesota Vikings, sent to Houston in exchange for 2025 second and fifth-round picks, plus a 2024 sixth-rounder. The move marks the end of a tumultuous stint in Western New York for Diggs.
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During his time in Orchard Park, Diggs put up four 1,000-yard receiving seasons and scored 37 regular-season touchdowns. His stellar performances earned him first-team All-Pro honours in 2020 and four trips to the Pro Bowl.
However, his exceptional performances were occasionally overshadowed by his unpredictable behaviour and the tension that arose between him and his Bills teammates, in part due to his social media activity, as well as that of his brother, Trevon, a star for the Dallas Cowboys.
Diggs has the potential to be a game-changing acquisition for the Texans, though. The rookie head coach and quarterback duo of DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud brought immediate success to NRG Stadium last season, reaching the divisional round of the playoffs, with Stroud being named the Offensive Rookie of the Year after a historic debut campaign.
Diggs will wear No. 1 for the first time since his days at Maryland (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)His ability to drive the ball downfield and connect with his wide receivers for explosive plays makes Diggs an ideal fit for the Texans' offense as they hope not only to retain the AFC South title but also make a deeper run in the postseason next year.
However, it is clear that the Texans are considering keeping Diggs on only a short-term deal for now. After finalising the trade with the Bills, Houston adjusted Diggs' contract, increasing his base salary for 2024 from $18 million to $22.52 million (£17.8m).
However, they voided the final three years of his contract, meaning Diggs will be a free agent in 2025 and he will be allowed to test the open market.
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