Stefon Diggs reveals he’s been playing through tough injury

Most humans wouldn't be able to carry on with their lives after breaking a bone as if nothing happened. Stefon Diggs is not like most humans.

The Patriots wide receiver made a surprising revelation to reporters Wednesday at Gillette Stadium, disclosing that he's been playing through a broken finger. He wasn't even prompted, he brought it up as he answered a question about Drake Maye's ability to put touch on the ball and make it easier to corral for receivers. And he treated it almost like a passing mention. He basically couldn't care less.

"I broke my finger like a couple of weeks ago, so I was just telling (Maye), 'Hey, I love the way you throw the football, I really appreciate it,'" Diggs said. "Just because he has that touch, that he can throw the ball like -- I mean, I've got nothing against you putting a little extra mustard on it too here and there, to fit it into a hole. I should've caught that one in the game, I was mad at myself about that. But, he has one of those, like a basketball player, as far as when you shoot the ball and how you shoot it, when people got a good shot they got a good shot. So, he has the ability to put that touch on the ball and make it very easy to catch, so I appreciate that."

When asked follow-ups on the finger, Diggs responded, "Yeah, something like that," and "Don't worry about it, it's the least of my worries."

Well, what a roller coaster that was.

Diggs hasn't even been on the injury report with the finger. He was listed with a chest injury ahead of their Week 9 matchup against the Tennessee Titans. It's possible he's dealing with a hairline fracture, which require less serious treatment to fix and manage. He's at least got to be taping it up before games. But it still takes a different kind of guy to not just use the cracked finger, but play professional football with it, and at a position where functional hands are essential.

The finger hasn't seemed to affect Diggs on the field. Pro Football Focus has him down for only one drop over the past three games, and two on the season. Diggs has started every game, leads the Patriots in catches and scrimmage yards, and has scored a touchdown in three of the last four weeks.

Not bad for a guy with a literal bone fracture. This is just your latest reminder that pro football players are built differently.