Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne Compares Stefon Diggs To Former MVP

Kendrick Bourne and Stefon Diggs have something in common, other than being wide receivers for the New England Patriots.

Unfortunately for both, the pass-catchers have also suffered torn ACLs in the past.

The former went down with his season-ending injury in Week 8 of the 2023 season. One year later, the latter suffered the same fate in Week 8 of the 2024 campaign while with the Houston Texans.

Bourne had surgery, started last year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and didn’t make his 2024 season debut until Week 5. Diggs, meanwhile, is just nine months removed from his injury, is now a full participant at Patriots training camp this week and is aiming to be the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, according to his doctor.

Bourne discussed Diggs’ recovery on Thursday.

“We talk about him all the time. It’s frigging impressive,” he said, per MassLive’s Karen Guregian. “I just… from my experience, I was like, ‘Bro, I wasn’t even close to that.'”

When considering Diggs’ rapid rehab, Bourne immediately thought of former MVP running back Adrian Peterson.

“It’s an honor to see, like, I’ll be talking about Adrian Peterson, and when he came back from his ACL in the past and he was just explosive,” the 29-year-old said. “I tease (Diggs), ‘Hey man, you’re looking good. You’re looking like you’re going to have an AP kind of year from it. He’ll be laughing and joking.’ … But he’s worked hard. You can see the results.”

Peterson made four straight Pro Bowls to start his career before suffering a torn ACL in Week 16 of the 2011 season. “All Day” came back eight months later, however for the start of the 2012 campaign.

Peterson finished that year with a league-leading 2,097 rushing yards (eight away from Eric Dickerson’s single-season record) and won the NFL MVP award. Peterson also earned another Pro Bowl honor, as well as a first team All-Pro nod and was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year.