BOSTON — New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with an incident that happened earlier this month, police said. News of the charges emerged after a court hearing Tuesday in Dedham, Mass. It’s unclear what led to the c harges, which include felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery. Diggs’ lawyer, David Meier, said in an emailed statement that Diggs “categorically denies these allegations.” Meier said the allegations never occurred, describing them as unsubstantiated and uncorroborated. “The timing and motivation for making the allegations is crystal clear: They are the direct result of an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” Meier wrote. In a statement, the Patriots said they are standing by Diggs: “We support Stefon.” Diggs, 32, established himself as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers during a run with the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills from 2018 to 2023, when he had six consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons and was selected to the Pro Bowl four times. After a lackluster stint in Houston last year, Diggs ended up in New England, signing a three-year, $69 million deal in free agency that guaranteed him $26 million. Diggs has proved to be a reliable target for second-year quarterback Drake Maye and is a big reason the team has clinched the AFC East title and is headed to the playoffs. Off the field, though, Diggs’ tenure with the Patriots got off to a rocky start when a video surfaced on social media in May showing him passing what appeared to be a bag of pink crystals to women on a boat. It wasn’t clear what the substance was, and an NFL spokesperson said the league would not comment. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the team would handle that matter internally. ...read more read less