Inside the Mind of Seahawks S Quandre Diggs
Training camp kicks off a long season… of press conferences.
In the regular season, there’s a few quick interviews with coaches and players squeezed in after exhilarating wins and humiliating losses. Maybe there’s a candid locker room quip clipped here and there. But for the most part, players do their talking on the field.
This is what makes those extensive training camp pressers so fascinating. After months away from the game, we can finally catch up with how players have been coping with injuries or roster changes. And while there’s always been something to talk about in the offseason, there’s been a lot more to discuss in 2020.
Chaotic is an apt word to describe the year thus far. The coronavirus has infected millions and killed thousands, not to mention the lives that have been permanently altered by its presence. It’s also an illness that has, among other things, highlighted disparity between Black and white Americans. It’s been an especially sorrowful year for the Black community, as the police-wrought deaths of several Black Americans sparked protest, discussion, and change, notably among professional athletes. And for NFL players, they will now look forward to 10 years of a narrowly-passed CBA that leaves many players with reservations.
Now more than ever, players are being asked about how they’ve been dealing with everything during a collectively difficult time. There’s a lot to be said about what this whirlwind of an offseason has meant for the people behind the helmets. One person whose voice has risen above the chaos is Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs, a player who’s been tackling the unpredictable head-on since he entered the league.
The Winding Road from Late-Round Pick to NFL Starter
At the beginning of each offseason, NFL scouts and fans alike have their eyes glued to the combine. The same questions arise, year after year: Who ran the fastest 40-yard dash? Who did the most bench press reps? Who jumped the highest?
The prospects who score the highest at these events jump to the top of draft boards, have their highlights plastered on media outlets, and encourage fans to daydream about having the flashiest player on their favorite team. The unfortunate prospects who don’t test well see their stock start to plummet, their names only mentioned in harsh critiques by writers who know little about the player outside of his stat sheet.
But the combine isn’t perfect. Football is a mental game, and the physical traits illustrated by the combine don’t always translate to a field where processing speed, instincts, and heart often outshine the fastest 40-yard dasher and the highest vertical jumper. Regardless, underwhelming NFL Combine performances bury talented players at the bottom of the draft.
Maybe that’s why there’s something auspicious about pick No. 200.
Deep into the sixth round, passed over hundreds of times, you’re not drafted to be a starter. You’re a long shot. An intriguing player with potential. Someone who merits a chance in training camp, but isn't guaranteed a roster spot.
It can be disparaging to start here, but it’s an opportunity nonetheless. After all, Tom Brady rose from being pick No. 199 after an embarrassing combine performance, snagged more than a handful of Super Bowl rings, led the greatest Super Bowl comeback in history, and launched an unparalleled football dynasty - and Brady is still slinging the football for a rejuvenated Buccaneers team. Outside of football, he married a world-class supermodel and has a signature edition Aston Martin named after him. Hate him or love him, Tom’s got an aura.
While the combine may have painted a grim image of Tom Brady’s NFL future, his play on the field showed something much different. At the end of the day, it wasn’t his 40-yard crawl or his laughable combine photo that mattered. Pick 199 of the 2000 draft had a high football IQ, elite processing ability, and an undying passion for the game.
And so does pick No. 200 from the 2015 draft.
Back then, Diggs was a cornerback coming out of a strong campaign at the University of Texas. While the Seahawks were building one of the most consistent and elite NFL franchises in the past decade, Diggs was building his own reputation within his collegiate conference.
Diggs arrived as a four-star recruit out of Angleton, Texas, and was promptly named the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. That same year, he made Second-Team All-Big 12, then made All-Big 12 Honorable Mention two years later. He tied for the ninth-most interceptions in Texas history with 11, then tied for ninth-most career pass breakups with 37.
It’s an impressive resume, one that was perhaps overshadowed by his combine performance. Amongst all cornerbacks, Diggs finished eighth in the bench press, 12th in the short shuttle, and 19th in the 40-yard dash. NFL Combine Results gave Diggs a D grade with a score of 47 out of 100.
"I think I can do it all," Diggs told the Detroit Free Press after being drafted by the Lions. "In my mind, I think I can do it all. Don't let the speed fool you, don't let the height fool you. I'm a competitor. I can go out, I can play the game and I can get those things done. It's all about just going out and proving it again."
Others, however, saw some potential in what Diggs did on the field rather than at the combine. Here is an excerpt from Diggs' 2015 Bleacher Report scouting profile:
“Short, not small, Quandre Diggs is the mighty mite of the 2015 cornerback class. He was a four-year starter at Texas and a leader for the entire program. He's a talker—on and off the field —and he's as aggressive with his body. Diggs is the ideal slot cornerback with instincts and a high football IQ.”
Diggs is later described in the report as “a tough-as-nails slot cornerback with confidence and swagger.” He earned a grade of 5.65/9.00 and was projected to be a future starter. Other outlets echoed similar sentiments, commenting on how his eagerness compensates for his shorter height - a David among Goliaths, if you will.
ESPN said Diggs “lacks ideal size” yet remains “a scrappy player who has a knack for playing bigger than his measurables indicate.” PFF said that “Diggs is on the smaller side, but that didn’t prevent him from producing well enough to have the 11th-best overall grade among the CB class.”
A CBS Sports report was especially critical of Diggs’ perceived limitations. “Diggs has the intangibles and pedigree that will make him attractive to NFL coaches, but his lack of height, length and speed show up quite a bit on tape...He might be able to survive inside as a nickel corner with his instincts and competitive toughness, but his NFL upside is limited.”
This is what the experts saw in Diggs five years before he would start alongside good friend and fellow safety Jamal Adams on a bolstered Seattle defensive backfield.
Short, but mighty. Tough-as-nails, with confidence and swagger. Scrappy. Instinctive. Competitive. A talker, on and off the field.
After being selected by the Lions in the sixth round, Diggs earned a starting spot as the featured nickel back and began to earn a reputation for always speaking his truth. Players and coaches alike value authenticity and realness. Diggs' voice led him to him being voted defensive captain by his teammates. He led in the locker room, but a change in Lions leadership quickly shifted how welcome he was within the organization.
In 2018, former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia arrived in Detroit as the new Lions head coach. The next year, Diggs was dealt to the Seahawks. He was pretty clear about his thoughts in regard to why he was moved.
“I think it was more of just a control thing,” Diggs told the Detroit Free Press. “Them wanting to control the locker room. Control the locker room, control voices in the locker room.”
The Lions ultimately controlled his future in Detroit, trading him to the Seahawks last October in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick. But once Diggs reached Seattle, everything was different. The Seahawks encourage players to share their thoughts, as coach Pete Carroll is an affable man who's willing to take his shirt off in solidarity. Sure, Diggs didn't get to choose where he would be traded. But so far, it's seemed like the perfect home for the passionate safety in more ways than one.
Unlimited Characters
Every Seahawks player is on social media.
Outside of pressers and interviews, outside of passionately penned pieces for The Players Tribune, players prefer to talk on Twitter.
They share family snapshots as they enjoy the offseason. They post videos of intense workouts, a brief glimpse of the countless hours of work they put in to perform each season.
They express humility and heartfelt gratitude for a multitude of blessings, often seeking to inspire others with Biblical verses - Russell WIlson is pretty well-known for that. But he's also known for being Mr. Unlimited, a fierce alter ego that has yet to be defined.
They showcase their work, they joke around, they brag about the accomplishments of friends and teammates. They use Twitter to publicly set up Madden battles, the only purpose of which is to make fans insanely jealous of these virtual hangouts.
They also use it to share outrage and grief, as several Black men and women have been shot and killed by police throughout 2020. In an especially difficult year, players have sought to make sense of the world around them, a world that seems increasingly isolated in more ways than one - a world that could benefit from a little online positivity.
Social media is a platform for our thoughts and experiences, a digitized collection of our personality. Who we are, what matters to us, what we want people to know and remember us by.
And those scouting reports were right about something: Diggs is quite the talker off the field. Firing off over 62,000 total tweets, Diggs is all over NFL Twitter. He pumps up players across the league, recently congratulating Keenan Allen and Deshaun Watson for inking lucrative contracts. He also welcomed Josh Gordon back to Seattle, a positive development in the saga of the resilient receiver.
But Diggs doesn't just support his teammates on Twitter - he's adamant about supporting anyone who shares compassionate truths, anyone who is dedicated to brightening a landscape that seems increasingly dark. He's been encouraging all Americans to register to vote, but more than that, he's reminded Americans that their voices wield power outside the ballot box.
"I think that the athletes and the entertainers have the bigger platform, but I think everybody's platform is important," Diggs noted in an August 28th press conference.
"Wherever you're working at, whatever you're doing in your life, you can always make an impact on somebody and let somebody know what you're going through in life. All you have to do is leave an impact on one person every day, and you can help change the world."
He took the mic and captivated an audience in the presser, but when he picks up the phone, he's got just as much wisdom to share.
Diggs was the first NFL player I'd ever interviewed. I was surprised that he agreed to do an interview this summer in the first place, as I'd only been covering the Seahawks since March. Understandably, some players are less willing to speak with media members they don't know.
I was more surprised when he sent a friendly text to set up the interview, as if he wasn't the starting safety on a team that's still known for its defensive prowess. No, he was just a regular guy enjoying a leisurely afternoon after lunching with a friend and putting his daughter down for a nap.
And I was even more surprised when he took the time to speak with me for over half an hour about everything going on in the league and the world. Twitter limits thoughts to 280 characters, so imagine what someone can say with tens of thousands.
It was evident that Diggs was a justice-oriented person, so I imagined he would be interested in issues surrounding the 2020 CBA, players' rights and platforms, the political response to coronavirus measures, and how Black athletes can lead conversations on how to advance Black rights in the United States. He spoke at length on these topics, but he also made time to share his love for the Seahawks and what it's been like to play for a team that always makes room for player-led conversations.
I could write paragraphs around what he said, paraphrase his sentiments, clip his words into convenient bytes… but I think it's best if the straightforward secondary speaks for himself.
A Not-So-Collective Bargaining Agreement
"Take care of y’all mentals, y’all bodies, y’all chicken, so when y’all ready to walk away y’all walk away and you’ll be able to do what y’all want to do.”
The last time Marshawn Lynch took the podium, he focused on a message he wanted to leave with his fellow players: take care of yourselves.
Player health and wealth has been a longstanding conversation for the outspoken Seahawks, so when the NFL's collective bargaining agreement was being negotiated early this offseason, Seattle players kept Lynch's words in mind. Influential team leaders such as Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner openly voted against the CBA, voicing their disapproval for a 10-year contract that was passed in a hurry.
"I want guys to educate themselves on what they’re signing. I feel like we have a lot more power than guys realize.” Wagner explained to CNBC in March.
Wilson went straight to Twitter, letting the world know that the NFL is leagues behind the NBA and MLB in player-first policies.
Diggs too was dissatisfied with the CBA's rushed ratification.
"I will say that I wasn't a fan of the CBA," he said. "I think we could have gotten a better deal, but what's done is done."
"Guys thought that's the best deal we could get, and I don't think guys were willing to miss games, so I'm sure that's the best deal we could have gotten. But I just think, we spend so many years talking about saving money, saving money because we're going to have a lockout, then we take a deal like that… I just don't think it did us justice for what we've been preaching for since I came into the league."
Like Wilson, Diggs noted how the NBA and MLB have improved player communication and representation when negotiating with team owners, but the large rosters and retirees numbering in the thousands make it difficult for NFL players to unite their interests. It's also difficult for rookies to understand the financial implication of a deal that will affect them for years to come.
"I think a lot of guys just know about, 'I just want to play football,' Diggs said. "They're just all about the game aspect and aren't thinking about the business aspect.
Having obviously been a rookie himself at one point, Diggs felt the same way when he first entered the league. But as he got older, he became wiser to the implications of what the NFL CBA could do for him and his family, and by rushing the ratification process, he believes players may have lost out on some money.
"Of course, we have different stuff that we're about to figure out. We're about to figure out, how will the gambling aspect play out for a lot of the younger guys who didn't know that? A lot of guys didn't understand that, now that they legalized gambling, that could bring more money into the league and that they could be cutting us out of that money," Diggs elaborated. "I just think the more you're in tune with what's going on around the game and the more you're in tune with knowing the business side of it, but also knowing the side of it that can play the game and understand both situations, then I think it'll always be like that, because I think when you come in the league, you're just so infatuated with being in the NFL and making your money and just enjoying instead of figuring out what can and can't hurt you."
Diggs noted that NFL owners, a group of 32 multi-billionaires, tend to exploit the disunity of the player's union. The average American knows little about how to build and manage generational wealth, let alone how to make a few million to last a lifetime. Most NFL players have never seen that kind of money before, making it easy for them to believe they're being adequately compensated for their work when they could be earning more.
"When you come out, you just know, 'I want to make my million.' That's all you think about, 'I want to make my million.' But at the end of the day, you want to make your millions, but you're leaving some money on the table if you're not doing the right thing. The owners are making billions - B's - we're making millions with an 'm', so we need to get as much of the plate as possible. We need to get as much money as we can get while we can get it, because we can't do this forever. The owners can own that team their whole lifetime, but we can only play this game for a shorter period of time, so we've got to take advantage of all those things to try to be as greedy as we can - sometimes it's good to be selfish."
While Gordon Gekko's version of greed may not be so good, in Diggs' case, advocating for self-interest is a reaction to an agreement where players could have negotiated for more. Both Diggs and teammate Tyler Lockett called for a 50/50 split in league revenue with owners instead of the 48.5 percent share that was eventually accepted.
Diggs wants players to get as much of the plate as possible. Lynch wants players to take care of their chicken. The CBA may have passed, but NFL players remain hungry for financial parity and just compensation for playing a dangerous game that generates billions for others as entertainment.
Stick to Sports? No Way
As long as there have been Black athletes commenting on racial issues in America, there has been someone yelling at them to stick to sports.
Variations of the phrase were hurled at champion boxer Muhammad Ali and premier Black MLB player Jackie Robinson. After all these men had accomplished, with the world's eyes upon them, they used their platform to discuss the truth of what it was to be Black in America. And then they were told to be quiet.
When Tommie Smith and John Carlos humbly raised Black Power fists into the air as they received their respective gold and bronze medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics, they were suspended and removed from the Olympic Village.
48 years later, not much had changed. When Colin Kapernick knelt during the National Anthem in memory of Black lives lost to police brutality, he sparked a conversation about racism in America - but he also stoked the fiery ire of fans who are tired of hearing about political issues when they watch the game.
It's hard to imagine what any of us would do with the kind of platform professional athletes have. If anyone had the opportunity to reach millions of people instantly - if we had the capability to affect meaningful change and share our unique perspectives - we would, at the very least, try to convince others to care about our causes.
And players are people, just like the rest of us. With the platform they have and the very human desire to communicate with others, they do what they can to get the word out.
When we build up our favorite athletes into Herculean heroes, we lose sight of their humanity, their vulnerabilities and their differences. Diggs reminds us that he's a person before he's a player.
"People have been so used to most athletes just going out and playing sports and not getting into the political things - a lot of stuff is not even political," he said.
"I look at politics as if you're talking about governors and presidents… my thing is, if I want to speak on governors and presidents, I can speak on that just like a normal person. But police brutality, Kaep kneeling for the flag, things like that, people continue to say, 'Don't bring politics in sports,' but at the end of the day, we're Americans just like everybody else, so if I want to speak on my behalf on how I feel about the President or how I feel about the governor or how I feel on Kaep kneeling, then that's fine."
"Don't just tell me, 'Shut up and play football,' because that's like me telling somebody that works at a Ford factory, 'You shut up and just make parts for the cars,' you know, it's the same thing. That's my job, but that's not who I am as a person. I might make vehicles in the morning or the afternoon, but in the evening, I'm a normal person. That's the same with us: we play football during the week, but when we're in our free time, we're normal people, so don't tell me that I can't speak on certain situations just because I'm an athlete."
Diggs didn't hold back with his political opinions, criticizing Texas' reckless, laissez-faire reaction to coronavirus by crediting American "cockiness" as the true culprit for a deadly spike in cases. He also questioned the motives behind the Washington Football Team's "sudden" name change and Roger Goodell's endorsement of Kaepernick after years of controversy were met with executive silence, describing the moves as NFL attempts to "try to put the eggs back in the basket really quick."
Seeing these issues in the league only inspires the safety to open more eyes by sharing his thoughts on social media. A place for connecting and sharing life's moments, it's also become a common place to host conversations and invoke positive change.
"I think the way that social media is built now, with the voices that we have and the platform that we have, I think everybody pays attention to social media," Diggs said. "Back in the day, it used to be, 'Oh, social media can get you in trouble,' but social media can also do a lot of help. Social media can connect people from around the globe with situations that are going on in other countries. Social media is global now: you've got big-time voices like Lebron James, you've got Russ… you know how many fans that they have, and they're pushing a certain message, and people started to look, 'Well, Lebron is pushing that,' and 'Russ is pushing that,' and freaking 'Pat Mahomes is pushing that,' you know what I mean? These are the global icons. Then you have celebrities on social media, so as a normal person, you feel like you're in tune with these athletes. You feel like you could know these athletes because you can connect to what they're saying on their social media."
Diggs does what he can to connect with fans by sharing his faith, posting uplifting Bible verses every night on his Instagram story.
"I've gotten so many reactions out of that and people saying, 'Man, I really needed to hear that verse, I really needed to see that,'" he added. "It's something, and I'm not minimizing the Bible, but it's something as small as me posting a Bible verse, and it's getting people's attention, just imagine the clout and the reaction that a guy like Lebron James or Russell Wilson or Pat Mahomes can do for somebody. It's amazing what social media can really do."
Players of the 2010s may be told to stick to sports as their predecessors were, but their Twitter accounts can't be suspended for saying "Black Lives Matter" the way Smith and Carlos did. They may be met with the same tired criticisms, but they are reaching more people than ever historically possible and for the few that remain behind criticizing them, many more are proud of the message being sent by athletes.
A Place Where Your Wings are Never Clipped
Not all NFL teams are built equally.
Well, at least for the 2020 season. Changes ebb and flow in the league - one superstar draft pick or tantalizing trade (hello Jamal Adams) could be the difference between making the postseason and a ghost season. Teams that do make it to the Super Bowl either rest on their laurels or get a hangover: no one's been able to win the Lombardi Trophy back-to-back since the early 2000s, but the Seahawks came painstakingly close.
That being said, the Seahawks are one of the most stable organizations in the NFL, which is no small feat. Replicating success year after year and making the playoffs eight out of the past 10 years is something only rivaled by the Green Bay Packers. Drafting well, trading carefully, mastering free agency, and giving Wilson a well-deserved monster contract are a few ways to keep the success flowing into the next decade. When Diggs arrived via trade and took in the crisp Seattle air, he felt something was different here.
"It's been awesome," Diggs said of his experience in Seattle thus far. "I truly feel like I can be myself and I can talk as freely as I want and not have to worry about coaches saying something about me speaking my mind or how I felt because that's kind of how I've always been as a person. I think the culture's great. When you win and you're good at it, you're good at what you do, you can make those decisions and let your players speak out freely and let them enjoy having that moment because at the end of the day, we're only in this game for so long, so our voices need to be heard, we need to use our platform as much as possible, and I've definitely been enjoying it."
Diggs has been enjoying himself, embedding himself on the team by joking around with teammates on Twitter. For him, it's not all for fun - building friendships makes on-field play and synchronization so much smoother.
"I think it’s just a camaraderie thing for me," he said of his tendency to talk a little trash. "If you can let your guard down with your teammates and just have fun and let them know that you enjoy them as people, let them know that you enjoy their presence and that you truly care about them, I think that definitely can bring a locker room closer. That’s kind of how I’ve always been: I’ve always been a jokester, I’ve always been somebody that loves to work, but I love to have fun, and I think that’s what makes Seattle culture perfect for me because that’s a lot of what we do."
Diggs joined the team on October 22, 2019, but he didn't suit up for the Seahawks until a November 11 Monday night matchup against the 49ers. His chemistry with fellow teammates showed when he snagged a 44-yard interception, an explosive debut for the newcomer. Describing it as "cool" and "different", Diggs reflected on his time adjusting with his new team during his first offseason as a Seahawk.
"First time I’ve ever been traded, first time I’ve ever been on another team, and it was good that one of my really, really close friends was on the team with Tyler [Lockett], so it kind of made the transition a lot smoother," Diggs said.
"I was able to stay at his house for a month and a half, learn Seattle, be comfortable being around somebody that I know, and it was also good having a few of my former Lions teammates there, then a few of my former college teammates there, so it made the transition easier. I’ve known Bobby [Wagner] for like three years too because he used to be with my agent, so I’d been around Bobby a couple times, and then even with K.J. [Wright], he’s really good friends with Darius Slay, so I was able to connect with those guys really fast, and it made the transition a lot smoother. It helped me make that transition and get comfortable in the locker room and be comfortable with them to be able to play football."
The locker room wasn't the only thing Diggs had to adjust to: 12s are known for being… intense.
"Man, it’s crazy, because the 12s are serious, you know what I mean?" Diggs laughed. "It’s crazy that, when I got traded, the support that I had from the Lions fans that I still have a lot of love for, and the 12s I’m consistently going with each and every day. I just think it’s dope for me to be in a place like Seattle where football is everything. The fans are with you through thick and thin. I know that when we leave the facility to go to away games, there’s going to be fans out there waiting for us to leave. When we come back from games, fans are going to be out there waiting for us when we get back."
:It’s just been a great experience. It’s just something that I didn’t think I would experience that the league has in Seattle, and when it happened, it just kind of surprised me. But I was all for it because I’ve always had a lot of admiration for this place ever since I’ve been in college, watching Sherm and watching Earl and watching Kam, Jeremy Lane, Byron Maxwell, and Brandon Browner, so it’s one of those things that you enjoy to be able to put on the same uniform as those guys."
However, the safety revealed that he too is a Seahawks superfan - like several other defensive players have noted, he's looked up to the legendary Legion of Boom throughout his career.
"It’s dope!" Diggs exclaimed when asked what it's like being on a team known for their defense. "I know we didn’t have those expectations last year, but I think just being in the league, knowing the culture and knowing the history of that defense, it’s important for us to lock back in and get back to those roots."
Now entrenched in the lineup at free safety in Seattle, Diggs is roaming the same center field Earl Thomas did for a nearly a decade. Teaming up with Adams, he feels blessed to be a part of what he hopes will be another elite secondary.
"How many secondaries you know really have their own nickname? Those guys were special. It’s time for us to try to get back to that level... that’s the level that we’ve got to think of, we’ve got to compare ourselves to those guys and hold ourselves to those guys’ standards."
It's difficult for NFL defenses to compete for attention with offenses. Talented quarterbacks like Wilson and his ilk usually steal the show with arcade-style throwing contests. But there's something to be said for lurking for interceptions, fighting for fumbles, and simply playing a smart mental game as an NFL defense. With offseason additions bolstering the roster, Diggs is optimistic about a Seahawks defensive comeback.
"The way the rules are going, of course they’re going to cater to the offense," Diggs said. "People want exciting games. But I think a good defensive game is super exciting too. For us, we’ve just got to get back playing to the level that we can play at and continue to just try to do our job. Just try to get back to being a dominant defense, that’s all we can do is just work and try to get better."
Is There Anything You'd Like to Add?
It's a standard question to round out an interview, just in case there's something you missed or something your interviewee would like to discuss further.
"Oh no, I’m all good," Diggs sighed contentedly. "I don’t usually have too much to say about stuff, and I usually say it on my Twitter if I do."
True to his word, Diggs shares his thoughts on Twitter every day, offering a glimpse into the perspective of one of the NFL's most candid leaders, the latest to emerge in a long line of stars who harnessed their voice as Seahawks.
There's been Richard Sherman, Michael Bennett, and Doug Baldwin, players who have called for a compassionate society and a considerate NFL.
There's Marshawn Lynch, a man of few words who spoke volumes on player/media relations and continues to make a lasting impact off the field in his own unique style.
There's Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, veterans who are educating young players on valuing their worth and advocating for a fair deal.
And now, the Seahawks have another leader embracing his platform, both on the field and with every word he speaks.
