How Patriots plan to handle Stefon Diggs, Christian Barmore amid criminal charges

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How Patriots plan to handle Stefon Diggs, Christian Barmore amid criminal charges

Chris Mason · MassLive

Wed, Dec 31, 2025 ·

2 min read

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FOXBOROUGH — Legal charges against a pair of Patriots stars came to light on back-to-back days this week.

Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing multiple charges, including felony strangulation, for an alleged altercation with a personal chef, while defensive tackle Christian Barmore is facing a domestic violence charge stemming from August.

Diggs is scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 23, while Barmore’s arraignment date is set for Feb. 3

On Wednesday afternoon, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the team had already been aware of both situations, and said he’d let the legal process play out.

“These aren’t a surprise, that today and yesterday this came out,” Vrabel said. “...We’ve taken the allegations very seriously. What comes of that, then we’ll have another discussion. But I don’t think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now. Let the process take its toll.”

Vrabel said Barmore was away with an illness, but he expected both the defensive tackle and Diggs to be available against the Dolphins this weekend.

“I haven’t heard anything that would keep either player from the game,” Vrabel said.

The NFL has the option to put either player on the Commissioner’s Exempt list, as they did with former Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers a year ago, but Vrabel said he hadn’t heard anything from the league.

Diggs, 32, is facing charges of felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery from an incident that occurred on Dec. 2 in Dedham. According to a police report obtained by MassLive, Diggs is being accused of hitting and choking a personal chef over a monetary dispute.

Barmore, 26, is facing one charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on a family/household member stemming from an alleged altercation that occurred on Aug. 8 in Mansfield. Per a police report, the mother of Barmore’s child said she wanted to leave, then accused the defensive tackle of throwing her to the floor and disconnecting a call when she tried to phone her mother.

To open his press conference, Vrabel was asked how disappointing it was to have off-field distractions with the playoffs looming.

“Not disappointing at all. These are allegations,” the coach said. “It’s things that we have to handle. Every day there’s distractions. Some are smaller than others. Confident that we’ll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals... will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.”

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