Bills' Stefon Diggs Looking to Prove Himself all Over Again

The wide receiver was patient throughout negotiations on rich contract extension.

When Stefon Diggs first arrived in Buffalo in 2020, it was as if he were checking in to the Hotel California. Even though he knew he'd be able to check out any time he'd like, he could never leave.

The COVID-19 pandemic almost assured that in a literal sense, which was a good thing, the superstar wide receiver suggested on Thursday. 

But just to make certain, the Bills have thrown a reported $70 million guaranteed at him to keep him in a luxury suite ostensibly for the rest of his career.

Diggs graciously accepted and now is focused on proving himself all over again — after contributing 230 catches for 2,760 yards and 18 touchdowns in his first two seasons since being acquired in a trade with Minnesota.

"To me, my family, my support system, my agent — it was something that we talked about prior to me even coming here," Diggs said in a Thursday news conference. "You know, I felt like my next spot was my last spot. I wanted it to be my home and I didn't want to ever go anywhere [else].

"... It was important to me, especially the first year and the second year. You kind of felt like you were in that family. And it's hard to do that when you have a job and you try to stay professional. But you get those relationships like the one I have with [Qb] Josh [Allen] and the other guys on the team. It's just like, I start feeling a lot like home. You don't want to leave."

Diggin' it!! 😏#GoBills | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/nQ7T0xrx3n

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 7, 2022

According to Diggs, arriving at the start of the pandemic actually helped build instant chemistry because of the bubble atmospheres teams around the league created to keep the virus from infiltrating.

"I felt like we cheated a little bit because we had that COVID year, and we had no choice but to be around the team," he said, "and I felt like it benefited me in a way. I built relationships with guys that you typically don't build on football teams. ... So for me, that was a sign from God that he was putting me in the right place at the right time. And it all worked out."

Diggs and Allen instantly formed one of the league's great all-time tag teams that season, which ended with Diggs as a first-team All-Pro and Allen as the runner-up in the league's MVP balloting.

They carried that over into 2021 and now will have a chance to keep going for many more years, which was something outsiders thought would never happen, Diggs pointed out again on Thursday.

"I got a lot of text messages from guys across the league as far as being in the AFC and playing with the Bills and ... it was crazy, because when I first got traded to Buffalo, besides the [Bills] Mafia and the people who are fans of Buffalo, not too many people thought it was going to work out," Diggs said. "... And now, two years [later], I can smile and say, `you know, God works in mysterious ways, and I'm with my family and with the right people and I've got the right support system."

Go Bills. 😁@StefonDiggs | #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/EjqdcckNLW

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 7, 2022

Unlike fellow wide receivers Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, who had to leave their respective teams to get the monster pay raises they sought in what has been a wild offseason of trades and free-agent movement, Diggs remained confident that he wouldn't have to change his address again.

Sure, he noticed what was happening.

No, he never pressured Bills general manager for a comparable pay raise. He allowed his agent and the team to work a contract out behind the scenes that would squelch all the white noise generated from trade speculation.

All that remains is building on what's been established and finishing what they've come so close to accomplishing over the previous two seasons.

Said Diggs: "I want to prove it all over again. I want to prove that I'm one of the best receivers in the league, I'm a part of one of the best teams in the league and I'm chasing. I'm back chasing again. I love the chase, because it gives you something to look forward to and work for each and every day."

• RELATED: Bills WR depth likely will be getting even stronger soon

• RELATED: More Bills news and features from SI.com's Fan Nation

Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.