Sunday’s clash between the 7-2 Buffalo Bills and the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs pits two of the top teams in the AFC and perennial playoff rivals in the Josh Allen-Patrick Mahomes era.
The two sides agreed on a rare draft day trade this year, as the Bills allowed the Chiefs to trade up in the first round to select speedy receiver Xavier Worthy.
It was the trade the two sides didn’t make that’s arguably the bigger story – according to Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk, Buffalo gave veteran receiver Stefon Diggs the option of seeking a trade with every NFL team sans Kansas City this offseason.
Diggs was instead shipped to the Houston Texans alongside a pair of late-round selections for a 2025 second-round pick.
Kansas City swapped the 32nd selection and a future third-round pick to take Worthy 28th overall (and a fourth-round choice). Most of the NFL couldnt believe Buffalo allowed one of their direct rivals the opportunity to select an impact player.
After logging two touchdowns in his debut, the speedy wideout has mostly disappointed. In nine games, worthy has hauled in just 246 receiving yards and three scores.
Mahomes and company needed extra juice at the position once star Rashee Rice went down with a season-ending injury. Instead of leaning more heavily on Worthy, the team traded for DeAndre Hopkins.
Diggs could have been the natural antidote. At 30, hes slightly younger than Hopkins (32) and has more recent Pro Bowl-caliber seasons.
The former Minnesota Vikings fifth-round pick has accumulated four Pro Bowl nods and was named a 2020 First-team All-Pro. That year, he led the NFL in both receptions and receiving yards as the Bills clinched their first AFC East divisional crown in a generation.
They would lose to the Chiefs in the playoffs that season – the first of Buffalos three postseason defeats to Kansas City in the Allen era. The teams are on course to meet again this year.
If they meet this season, Diggs will not participate. Even so, the former Pro Bowler was complimentary of his time in northern New York.
I cant begin to express the amount of love and respect I have for the city of Buffalo, he posted on social media following the transaction. Four of the best years of my life, the city welcomed me with open arms. Im forever grateful for you all and the @buffalobills organization!”
Something special was built over these years with some very special men, that will always have a place in my heart. Bills Mafia, so many great memories created throughout the years. Those games were crazy because of you. Sadly good things come to an end until we meet again.
