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    Stefon Diggs Addresses Reaction to Bills' Playoff Loss to Bengals on Twitter

    Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 23, 2023

    CINCINNATI, OH - JANUARY 02: Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) runs off the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
    Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

    Buffalo Bills star Stefon Diggs addressed his immediate reaction to his team's 27-10 loss Sunday in the AFC divisional round.

    The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia reported Diggs bid a hasty retreat from the locker room once the game concluded. That followed an animated exchange with teammate Josh Allen on the sideline.

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    Stefon Diggs exchanging some words with Josh Allen on the sideline <a href="https://t.co/J2heSTBMrc">pic.twitter.com/J2heSTBMrc</a>

    In a series of tweets Monday, the three-time Pro Bowler acknowledged his frustration with the outcome:

    DIGGS @stefondiggs

    Want me to be okay with losing ? Nah

    DIGGS @stefondiggs

    Want me to be okay with our level of play when it's not up to the standard ? Nah

    DIGGS @stefondiggs

    It's easy to criticize my reaction more than the result.

    It's safe to assume no Buffalo player was happy with how the 2022 season concluded. The team won 13 games and claimed a third straight AFC East title, only to fall in the divisional round for the second year in a row.

    Diggs' relatively limited impact on Sunday's proceedings may have compounded his anger. He caught four passes for 35 yards on 10 targets.

    Absent more information, Diggs' sideline exchange and quick postgame exit don't point to any larger fissures within the squad.

    Allen chalked it up to the emotions players typically experience when they're trailing.

    Stefon Diggs Addresses Reaction to Bills' Playoff Loss to Bengals on Twitter
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    Heather Prusak @haprusak

    Stefon Diggs was visibly upset on the sideline in last night's game and I asked Josh Allen about his interactions with Diggs and if at all during the season he felt like they weren't on the same page. <a href="https://t.co/p8qfCKx9Yk">pic.twitter.com/p8qfCKx9Yk</a>

    Head coach Sean McDermott also described the veteran wideout as a "competitive guy" and told reporters he'd rather see his players react in a similar manner than appear totally apathetic.

    Henry McKenna @McKennAnalysis

    Sean McDermott defended <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bills?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bills</a> WR Stefon Diggs after his sideline outburst and early exit from the stadium on Sunday: "That's what makes him good, is what you saw. ... It hurts and I wouldn't want a guy that doesn't hurt." <a href="https://t.co/2BjirB8nvd">pic.twitter.com/2BjirB8nvd</a>

    Diggs' antics look positively tame in comparison to Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady, who's arguably setting the gold standard for sideline outbursts. No tablet computer is safe if it's within arm's reach of the future Hall of Famer.

    For Diggs and the Bills, this offseason will require some introspection and evaluation to avoid experiencing yet more playoff heartbreak next year.