Stefon Diggs made a Buffalo Bills fan’s dream come true as they played catch on the field ahead of his team’s match against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
The NFL tradition of playing games on Thanksgiving is one that stretches back all the way to the league’s inception in 1920. The Thanksgiving Day games usually include one game hosted by the Detroit Lions (since 1934) and one hosted by the Dallas Cowboys (since 1966).
Ahead of the Lions’ match with the Bills - who are tipped to win the Super Bowl by many - Diggs spotted a sign in the Bills fan section of Detroit’s stadium which read ‘All I want for Christmas is to play catch with Stefon Diggs’. The All-Pro receiver usually makes a circle around the perimeter of the field to play catch with fans in the stands, but he decided to go one better on Thursday.
Diggs helped the fan over the barricade down to the field and played catch with him on the Ford Field turf. The little boy caught the pass about 15 yards down the field and then threw it back to the Bills star, who made the catch and got both feet down on the sideline.
Diggs gave him a high-five and the fan returned to the stands. It was a heartwarming moment but should come as no surprise to plenty of fans as this is a tradition the receiver has done as part of his routine since his time with the Minnesota Vikings.
“I’ve been doing it since I got into the league as far as interacting with my fans, and the team I’m on I’ve been doing it,” Diggs said last season. “So, going to my new team, I’ve heard nothing but good things about them so it’s only right to keep the tradition going.”
Diggs’ gesture will undoubtedly provide a wonderful lifetime memory for the fan as the Bills prepared to take the Lions on on Thanksgiving. Buffalo is undefeated on the holiday under head coach Sean McDermott, who is undefeated on Thanksgiving with wins over the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 and the New Orleans Saints in 2021.
Diggs has been one of the biggest reasons why Buffalo remains a Super Bowl favourite as he has hauled in 76 receptions for 1,033 yards and 8 touchdowns in 10 games this season. His Bills are looking for successive wins at Ford Field as they defeated the Cleveland Browns there last weekend after the match was relocated due to heavy snowfall in Buffalo.
The Lions enter the contest on a three-game winning streak following victories over the Green Bay Packers, New York Giants and Chicago Bears. Buffalo bounced back from a two-game losing streak after falling to the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings with their 31-23 win over the Browns.
