WRs Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis respond to Buffalo Bills’ perceived lack of commitment, confidence, energy

Thursday was a busy media day at One Bills Drive, with a total of five sessions culminating in a pair of interviews by Buffalo Bills wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. With so much unfolding over a tumultuous week that came to a head following the loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 10 and the dismissal of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey on Tuesday, it’s anyone’s guess as to how individuals within One Bills Drive are affected in the aftermath.

The often engaging though misunderstood and reticent-to-interview Diggs provided a candid-at-times exchange with a group of reporters who clearly seemed to strike a nerve. That’s anything but a slight toward Diggs, who clearly is all business when it comes to the Bills. Diggs is simply less willing to allow the media unfettered opportunity at trying to shape click-worthy narratives. And who can blame him? At the same time, everyone from coaches, to players, to fans understands the role the media plays — and it’s fruitless expecting them to abandon the hunt for news.

As for Davis, he spoke at length about Dorsey and what he meant to Davis, plus responded to the idea that the offense carried an observable lack of energy and confidence. Davis also made certain to point out that the changes made shouldn’t be observed as all one person’s fault.

For this above and plenty more by offensive team captains Diggs and Davis, read on below.

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Wide receiver Stefon Diggs

Diggs’ impressions of the change at offensive coordinator, and what Joe Brady brings to the role:

“Joe Brady’s a hell of a guy. Obviously he’s been here, a guy that we’re familiar with. You know, it’s very unfortunate, as far as how this game goes, but sometimes that’s how the cookie crumbles with guys. I got a lot of respect for Dorsey, everything that he’s done — especially up to this point. But, just like everybody, we gotta flip the page. It’s a new week, a new guy — things done a little bit differently, but not too much different. The same schematically.”

Diggs also made mention of leadership roles being an integral part of the equation at this point, praising the job head coach Sean McDermott has done and noting how Diggs’ own role and the team’s other captains play in guiding the team through this turmoil and “ignite a fire” in the team. Diggs was quick to point out the failure in execution on offense as being behind the team’s recent slump.

On the personality and fiery disposition (“juice”) Joe Brady brings to the role of interim offensive coordinator, Diggs said:

“It’s only really been a couple days, so it’s kinda like hard to gauge. I’m more so looking forward to game day. I’m super excited, and I think it might be what we need.”

At that point, things took a turn. Diggs was asked about the recent comments made by his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, posted here, and here.

“I mean, for me... I like to gather my thoughts when I’m asked questions. I’m not responsible for how other people feel. Anybody in this room for (that) matter — a reporter, a player, even my own brother. I love my brother, and the space that my brother’s coming from is my family. So, (if) you want to know how he feels, you gotta take it up with him. Putting me in a position or me having a conversation with my brother that’s outside, that’s in-house family rules. But for me, I can’t combat or answer all the questions as to why... with people in the world... and x, y, z. That’s something you’re gonna have to ask my brother how he feels about it. If it was another fan or anybody else that commented on the game, y’all wouldn’t have said that. It just happened to be that it’s my brother. But for me, I’m like ‘alright, you’re asking me how my brother feels.’ You know what I’m saying? You gotta ask my brother how he feels about it. But for me, more so I wanna put more emphasis on... where you put me in a space of answering questions as to how somebody else feels — I can’t do that. And then like, the snowball effect of people having comments or like, I think somebody did an interview about how my brother feels. That’s my family. You know what I’m saying? I go to bat for my family 100%. I can’t ask the questions as to why he feels about this, that, and the third in a game. I haven’t had that personal conversation with him. My brother’s watching football right now, he’s not playing too much. So, obviously he’s coming from more of a fan perspective, but that is my family so I handle my family with the utmost respect, and I always hope that people treat it that way. So when people speak of my family, have a level of integrity as well, ‘cause I feel like if it was another family member or it was somebody else, you know obviously people kinda handle things however they want. But, tread lightly when you’re talking about my family, again.”

To which the follow-up question came:

“There’s the, you know the sayings that are in the locker room right now about the man in the arena right? (Diggs — “Yeah, 100%.”) Well, your brother’s in the arena, so that gives him a credibility...

Diggs: “For y’all. You know what I’m saying? But he’s not on this team (pounding podium to emphasize his point.) You know what I’m saying? He’s not a part of the Buffalo Bills. You know what I’m saying? My brother’s coming from... a place of love or however he feels. He’s not a part of the Buffalo Bills. You know what I’m saying? Like, I try to handle things in-house or however you see fit. But, you know what I’m saying? Y’all gonna have to take it up with him on his comments. You know what I’m saying? That’s still my guy 100%, but, uh, I can’t speak for him.”

To which another follow-up question was asked about how Stefon feels about the comments by his brother, and such. The reporter went on to say:

“...and there were obviously concerns at some level that date as far back as June (of 2023). I’m wondering, did you maybe anticipate some issues like this? Are you fully invested in where things stand with this team right now offensively, now and into the future?”

Diggs: “I see that like, it’s, it’s... it’s like I’ve repeatedly had to say the same thing twice to multiple people, and I feel like y’all put me in a space where as though I really want to ask the question as to: ‘What are y’all feeling about the situation — how do y’all feel?’ Because I feel like the less I say, the more they pry. Or when I address a situation, it’s not enough. You want more information as to: ‘Well, speak more about it.’ You know what I’m saying? I feel like I addressed it in training camp. I addressed it prior to that. You know what I’m saying? But I really sat down with everybody here around like training camp, and kind of felt like I nipped it in the bud as to how I felt or what I was feeling. But here we are again. You know what I’m saying? Here we are revisiting the topic about how I feel. I play with confidence, I go in with confidence. I prepare each and every week. I’ve always been a professional. I’ve never really said anything about being unhappy or any instance of that. So, when you’re drawing conclusions as to stuff I’ve never said... that’s what kinda troubles me because it kind of throws a wrench in it. It kind of creates chaos where I haven’t created (it). You know what I’m saying? Chaos created around me, whereas though I’ve just been in the same space. I’ve been in the same place. And I’ve spoken true words. I’ve said the same thing over, and over, and over. So when you draw a conclusion as to how I feel in my foreseeable future here, I’ve never said anything but (that) I’m a Buffalo Bill, I give it everything I got. I’m a professional and I treat this game as such. So, to answer you question — give me one more time, what’s your question?”

“I just, I guess I’m asking you now about how you feel in light of the fact they just made a move and changed the offensive coordinator — and the offense has been struggling.”

Diggs: “Now, let me ask you a question. Sorry, I hate to ask a question when you answered.”

“No, that’s fair.”

Diggs: “Does it matter?

“Does it matter...?”

Diggs: “How I feel?”

“I think it does, yeah.”

Diggs: “In what aspect? What changes will be made or what could happen if I did feel a way? Nothing.”

“In my opinion —”

Diggs: “Nothing.”

“In my — no. In my opinion if you’re fully invested...”

Diggs: “Yeah.”

“...as a captain, as a leader (Diggs: “Yeah.”) and as star player, an elite player in this league and on this team (Diggs: “Mhmm”)... If you’re fully invested I think that matters.”

Diggs: “No, no, no...”

“That’s my opinion —”

Diggs: “Not necessarily being fully invested because I’ve never been nothing but fully invested, especially from a professional aspect, a player aspect, a captain aspect, a brother, a teammate. I’ve never been nothing but fully invested. But I’m asking you, you must have confused my question. I said if I didn’t feel a way or I wasn’t confident, or I wasn’t in the aspect of if I wasn’t — that’s what I really was saying. But, everything that you’ve said, I’ve already stated truth to — that was already me. So, if that wasn’t me, tell me what would it be the, uh, solution to? It, it wouldn’t, it probably wouldn’t be one. You know what I’m saying? Like, personal feelings or personal opinions on x, y, z — like, I feel like I’m not a guy that carries my, my personal. You know what I’m saying? Like, I’m a professional at the end of the day, and I take my job serious. You can see how I play. You can see how I practice. You can see my approach and what I do. So, they’ve never questioned me as a player and as a man or what I bring to the table. So, um, me being fully invested has never really been in question. You know what I’m saying? So now that it’s in question, I’m more so, I’m asking the question as: ‘Why?’”

“Okay, I just asked if you were fully invested or not, and I think you answered it.”

Diggs: “Okay. Have I shown you that I wasn’t? Just a, just a question. It’s not me being facetious”

“No. No.”

Diggs: “That’s appreciated.”

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Wide receiver Gabe Davis

Davis’ initial impressions on Brady now acting as play caller:

“Glad to have him out there calling the plays, I mean it’s something different. You know, its sucks what happened with Ken Dorsey. Loved him. He was an awesome OC and a great friend to all of us. He will be missed deeply, you know. But the train keeps going, and you know... got a lot of confidence in Brady to call the plays and, you know, put us in the best positions.”

Davis’ reaction to news about Dorsey:

“Yeah, I was heartbroken, you know, I’ve been with Dorsey — I’ve been here with him going on four years. So to see him gone, it sucks ‘cause I know he cared about us a lot and this job, there’s a lot of sacrifices and I know he sacrificed a lot of his time with his family to be here with us.”

On any lack of energy and confidence from the offense in recent weeks:

“Execution breeds energy. We weren’t executing, that’s why the energy isn’t there. I mean, at the end of the day, you know — you gotta execute and that ultimately is what will bring the energy.”

On whether had the offense executed better if that would have spared Dorsey:

“Yeah, I mean... If anyone sits there and tries to blame just one guy on why we weren’t executing, I mean... they don’t know what they’re talking about. It’s definitely just not the OC on why we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do. You know, Dors’ put us in good positions to win and at the end of the day, there were times we weren’t executing — even though he was calling the right things. You know, he put me in the best position last week to go and catch a runner and it went through my hands. I mean, what do you — where in that does it get put on Dorsey, you know what I’m saying? So, it definitely, there was things out there that we created, and people are looking for something to point their finger at ‘cause they just can’t get it so they think: ‘Okay, let’s just point it at Dorsey on why this high-playing offense isn’t playing at its level.’ And in reality it’s just, you know, we’re just going through a little adversity. I mean, it’s just, it’s just been tough. So I’m definitely defending Dorsey 100% on, he was not, you know, such this big main factor that everyone is trying to make him out be, and he was the reason why we weren’t being consistent. It takes a team and, again, if you ask any of these guys I know we’re behind him 100%.”

The conversation with Davis would continue with a focus on the Bills’ remaining opponents, specifically in Week 11 — and whether or not any continued struggles will breed or accelerate stress. Plus, Davis was asked what’s behind the offense’s continued struggles through much of the season, and the offense-only player meetings — “knowing that jobs might be on the line.”

To that, Davis offered:

“I just feel like, for us, you know there’s just some accountability we all have to take on why we are where we are. Again, I can say it with the Dorsey thing everyone want to sit there and blame the OC saying ‘Ken’s the reason blah blah blah.’ But we all have our own hands in it and, again, us understanding that and knowing that being aware of the situation, knowing that that’s not, you know, the big reason. And there’s — and not saying there is one big reason. But saying that we all have to figure out how we can all do better and point the finger back at each other and figure out what we can do to put ourselves in the best position to win.”

To wrap things up, Gabe Davis was asked about the frustration in the locker room following their loss to the Denver Broncos, falling to 5-5. Davis simply stated that for himself he simply didn’t want to hear questions from others about why they’re 5-5 when he himself and the locker room are asking those same questions.