FOXBORO — When Stefon Diggs signed with the Patriots in free agency this offseason, he was sold on the combination of head coach Mike Vrabel, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterback Drake Maye, but he didn’t know he’d be heading to the Super Bowl in his first year with the franchise.

Now, 10 months later, the Patriots went 14-3 in the regular season and won three straight playoff games on their path to Super Bowl LX against the Seahawks, and Diggs’ gamble paid off.

It will be his first Super Bowl appearance.

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“I don’t think I’m necessarily surprised, because of what organization it was before I even got here,” Diggs said with 10 days left before the Super Bowl. “They pride themself on winning, they pride themself on having great coaches and good players and guys who want to buy into the process of winning. So, I wasn’t surprised from that standpoint, but if you asked me back then, ‘Do you think this team is going to the Super Bowl?’ I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that. I had a lot of faith in Coach Vrabes and I knew McDaniels had a whole lot of success. I knew we had a young quarterback that showed a lot of potential. You play in a lot of season and see him grow. I was along for the ride just like y’all were. It’s been a long season.

“At that point, I wouldn’t have been able to say, ‘We’re probably going to the Super Bowl.’ I wasn’t betting on that. I was betting on just attaching myself and hopefully my teammates attach themselves to the process of winning. It comes with a lot of ups and downs, and we had some ups and downs this season. More ups than downs, so hopefully we keep it going.”

Diggs signed with the Patriots just five months after tearing his ACL. So, the Patriots were taking a risk on the veteran wide receiver, as well. They were rewarded with an 85-catch, 1,013-yard season from the 32-year-old pass catcher.

Diggs also served as a team leader in the Patriots’ wide receiver room, though he wasn’t named a captain.

He’s signed through the 2027 season and is set to make a $20.6 million salary with $1.7 million in per-game roster bonuses and a $200k workout bonus in 2026.

All of the Patriots’ current wide receivers, Diggs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism, are signed through next season.