New England Patriots
Diggs apologized for not speaking with reporters earlier in the week, while Barmore gave the same answer to multiple questions.
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive tackle Christian Barmore refused to discuss the details surrounding their assault charges in their first comments since the news broke of the allegations this week.
Diggs offered an apology for not speaking with reporters earlier in the week in a roughly 45-second-long opening statement before saying he would only answer football-related questions.
“Sorry, it’s been a couple of days. I usually get to talk to y’all on Wednesday. But, obviously, it’s a different time, a very emotional time, taken back by some things that’s been going on,” Diggs told reporters (via WBZ’s Dan Roche). “But I want to be here to say sorry, I wasn’t available for those couple of days. It was a different kind of time. Dealing with everything, it’s definitely an open case, so I really can’t say anything about it.
“I will be open to any football questions, anything you wanna know. I don’t wanna be rude or disrespectful in any way.”
Barmore didn’t provide an opening statement, but gave the same response to every question he was asked about his assault allegation.
“Focused on Miami and playing football,” Barmore said on multiple occasions (via CLNS Media) as the Patriots prepare to take on the Dolphins on Sunday.
Diggs is facing charges that he allegedly choked and hit a woman who had been working for him as a chef at his Dedham residence in a dispute over money in December, according to court documents made public on Tuesday. He’s due in court for an arraignment on Jan. 23 after a hearing at Dedham District Court was held on Tuesday.
Barmore, meanwhile, faces a domestic assault charge for allegedly throwing the mother of his child to the floor at his home in Mansfield in August, court documents made public on Wednesday showed. Barmore is scheduled to be arraigned at Attleboro District Court on Feb. 3.
Barmore had purportedly been dating the alleged victim on and off for several years. The woman told Mansfield police that Barmore physically assaulted her when he was “in a bad mood,” according to court documents.
Asked to give his version of events on Friday, Barmore offered the same response he had given to other questions about the alleged incident.
“I’m focused on Miami, playing football,” Barmore said.
Diggs and Barmore have each played a pivotal role in helping the Patriots post a 13-3 record and win the AFC East this season. Diggs, who signed with the Patriots in March, is the team’s leading receiver with 82 receptions for 970 yards and four touchdowns. Barmore has 26 total tackles and a sack.
Both players are in line to play in Sunday’s game against the Dolphins. Diggs practiced all week, while Barmore missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness before returning on Thursday. An NFL spokesperson told MassLive that both players are still eligible to play at this time.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked during his press conference on Friday how Diggs and Barmore were doing following the recent news.
“I’ll let them speak for themselves on how they’re doing,” Vrabel told reporters. “I’m going to continue to coach every player to the best of my ability, the ones that come in each and every day, and that are willing to be coached. They are, just like everybody else. That’s what I do each and every day.”
Lawyer David E. Meier, who is representing both players, has said both Diggs and Barmore maintain their innocence.
“They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur,” Meier told The Boston Globe earlier this week on the allegations surrounding Diggs. “The timing and motivation for making the allegations crystal clear: They are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”
In Barmore’s case, Meier stated that they’re “confident that the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.”
“Based on the facts and the law, we expect that this personal matter will be resolved in the near future and both parties will move forward together,” Meier added.
The Patriots have also released statements on both players, saying they “support” Diggs and that they were “aware” of the pending arraignment surrounding Barmore.
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