Barstool Sports’ creator, Dave Portnoy, a fervent New England Patriots supporter, offered an unusual defense for Stefon Diggs amidst allegations of Diggs strangling his personal chef.

“It’s important to remind everyone of a fundamental principle in our cherished nation, America: innocent until proven guilty,” Portnoy, 48, stated in an Instagram Story video on Tuesday, December 30. “And let’s not forget which team clinched the first Super Bowl post-9/11, uniting our country and embodying its greatness? The Patriots. I firmly uphold the values of this nation.”

The Patriots triumphed over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002.

Portnoy further asserted that no franchise has demonstrated more moral integrity or taken the high road as consistently as the New England Patriots throughout their history.

Stefon Diggs and a woman who served as his private chef appeared to have an argument via text message about money she believed the New England Patriots star owed her, court documents revealed. The documents, obtained by Boston 25 News, show a screenshot of an alleged conversation between Diggs, 32, and the woman, who is […]

“We don’t care wins, losses. We look for good people. Good humans,” he added.

Diggs, 32, is accused of attacking his live-in personal chef at his home on December 2 over a financial dispute. 

“I have a personal chef. I just hired one,” Portnoy said. “A lot of you people out there probably don’t have personal chefs. You don’t know the intricacies of working with a personal chef.”

Portnoy continued, “I find it peculiar a personal chef can have all these back wages owed and still be cooking. If you’re owed all this money and the guy is not paying, you stop cooking, or you’re on a salary and the money is getting paid. So how do you have so many back wages that suddenly you’re getting choked out?”

Diggs allegedly told the woman that her services would not be needed during the week of November 7, according to a police report obtained by Boston 25 News. The woman claimed Diggs also forced her to leave his home for the week because he was “having house guests.”

The woman argued that Diggs was still obligated to pay her because she did not request the time off. 

“She said that this is the standard in this type of work arrangement,” the report added. 

After the alleged assault, the woman left Diggs’ home to stay with a friend, returning on December 9 to collect her property.

“At that point, she texted with Diggs who told her to take up the monetary sum with his assistant,” the report said. “She spoke to ‘Melissa’ from Finance, who explained that Diggs had requested a signed non-disclosure agreement from [the woman] before she could be paid. [The woman] did not sign any such document.”

The police report that alleges New England Patriots star Stefon Diggs strangled and assaulted his private chef references his “girlfriend,” who some assume to be rapper Cardi B. After Diggs’ live-in chef contacted police about the incident, which allegedly happened on December 2, she said she “received a voice mail and text messages from a […]

Diggs was charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery, it was reported on Tuesday, December 30. 

“Stefon Diggs categorically denies these allegations,” Diggs’ attorney David Meier said in a statement to Us Weekly on Tuesday. “They are unsubstantiated, uncorroborated, and were never investigated — because they did not occur. 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. Stefon looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.”

The Patriots also issued a statement about the allegations on Tuesday, pledging Diggs their “support.”

“We will continue to gather information and will cooperate fully with the appropriate authorities and the NFL as necessary. Out of respect for all parties involved, and given that this is an ongoing legal matter, we will have no further comment at this time.”