Stefon Diggs is extraordinary.
On the field, he’s surprisingly quick and versatile as a wide receiver, able to line up pretty much anywhere and get open. So much so, that this year that he became the first Vikings wide receiver since Randy Moss to rack up over 140 yards in three consecutive games.
But this isn’t new. In 2018, he shocked both Minneapolis and New Orleans when he ripped a ball out of the sky and raced it to the endzone, scoring the NFL’s equivalent of a buzzer beater in the playoffs.
He’s come a long way since his NFL.com draft profile listed him as purely a slot receiver, and someone who doesn’t “possess the strength or long speed to make a living as an outside receiver.” He’s more than proven that wrong.
Off the field, he’s remarkably stylish. His penchant for custom cleats have made him a social media star, and he recently linked up with adidas and their MakerLab to design custom jumpsuits. One scroll through his Instagram tells you all you need to know about the man’s drip. It’s more like a flood.
And then, when you meet Stefon in person, he’s disarmingly kind, funny, and humble. A goofball who within two minutes of walking on set offers his Prada bucket hat to our art director, cracking jokes one after another. He’s soft spoken enough to draw everyone in, but will stop for every Vikings fan on the street.
The StockX team was lucky enough to catch up with Diggs in Minneapolis a few weeks back. Read the full interview below as we talk how Stefon fell in love with football, fashion, and the city of Minneapolis. The answers might surprise you.
The following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Jamie Delaney, StockX: Can you please introduce yourself?
I’m Stefon Diggs. Wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings.
Where are you from originally?
I’m actually from Maryland, East Coast. My first vivid memories from growing up in Maryland are mostly football. Little league football is a big deal around where I’m from. I love football so much. I remember I had to sign a waiver for my first little league: I was five years old and you had to be six and when I finally got the waiver signed I was so excited. Like, “Yes! I get to play football!” That’s what got this thing going.
Who introduced you to football?
My dad started me in football, but I really wanted to play because my older brother was playing and I didn’t get to. When I first got my opportunity my dad was like, “alright, it’s time to go now.” And, I played everywhere. I played offense, defense, special teams – I did everything.
A lot of people from the East Coast are known to be a little more passionate about what they do. I play with a lot of passion and emotion. It’s part of what I’ve been through. Being young and going through the trials and tribulations of losing a parent, that molds you into someone who does things with passion and meaning. For me, it makes me who I am. There is nothing wrong with having a little chip on your shoulder.
I know in your junior year of high school you set some records. I think I saw 23 touchdowns? Was that when you realized football was something more serious to you and that you could take it to the next level? When was that moment for you?
Probably coming out of middle school actually. I was okay in football, so I had a chance to go to a private school. At that point I knew my next decision had to be my best decision because I wanted to go to college. I wanted to do the whole nine. That’s when I knew I had a chance.
I knew in high school that going pro was possible. I had that mindset that I would play for the University of Maryland. I knew I wanted to play in college, do the college thing for three years and then take my chances. I kind of had my mind set a little bit.
How do you like Minnesota so far?
I love Minnesota. There’s a thing called “Minnesota Nice.” The first time I came out here I was in a pet store for my dog and a lady came up to me and said, “I’m going to pray for you” and I said “Thank you!” Then out of nowhere she grabbed my shoulder and closed her eyes. At that moment you don’t want to tell her to stop. So I just closed my eyes and continued the prayer and said “thank you” afterwards, and I got my blessing for the day.
Do you think that blessing helped with that catch in 2018?
There’s a big chance! (laughs) I try not to count my problems and appreciate my blessings so that could have been a big part of it.
Do you feel like everyone here has embraced you as a key player for this franchise?
Yeah, 100%. It’s a family environment, you always try to make it a family environment as far as football. Even though at the end of the day, it is business. But a play like that connected the kid in everyone as far as how it happened, when it happened. It’s something myself and the city can connect on for the rest of my life. Strangers, people who don’t even like the Vikings, they’ve seen it. We all had a moment.
That was a long time coming for the Vikings franchise.
I heard. I try not to think about the bad times.
You’re certainly known for your style. Most people either start with sneakers, or start off with fashion and sneakers sort of fall into it. I always find that one or the other always comes first. What was first for you? What were you into?
I would say more fashion than anything just because I always wanted to tie my outfit together. I always wanted to aim for the whole thing, not just the shoes. In my area, guys had shoes on shoes. Everyone loves shoes. I like shoes, but I like to look nice, too. I want to evaluate the whole outfit before just looking at the shoes.
I feel like it comes down to pieces and what pieces you have, how you work around them. Whether it’s some shoes, a bag, a hat: it’s all predicated on how you dress it up. It could be anything. I try not to get too caught up on shoes, but maybe shoes were my thing that day and I had to make it work. If it’s a piece I want to wear, I just work around it.
Who influenced your style growing up?
It’s a lot of people. It’s easy to say the names like Kanye, Pharrell, people doing their own thing and still being embraced. I looked up to that because being yourself is always going to be more embraced than trying to be someone else. As far as copying somebody, that kind of thing doesn’t get you anywhere because there is no two of one person — unless you’re a twin. When somebody can be themselves and be embraced, I love that. You can always look at somebody and tell if how they dress is being themselves or someone else. For me, I’m a huge fan of Shia LaBeouf. I feel like he has incredible style as far as what he brings to the table. With how he is, you can really tell that’s how he dresses. People who put it all together and make it work for them, I’m a huge fan of that no matter who you are.
Shia is a good reference because his style feels so natural. It’s just the basics that look like he threw on but it’s connected so well. Do you feel that you are more adventurous in your style and take risks? Or do you know your lane?
I might take a chance here and there. But that’s because I’m not scared. I’m not scared of what people would think or say. If I like it, I like it. If I wake up in the morning and I throw it on, that’s it for the day. That’s what I’m throwing on. It’s about having that confidence in what you believe in. I like feeling good. Part of looking good is feeling good. So for me, when I throw it on in the morning I’m throwing it on with confidence. It’s a process of getting comfortable with who you are.
You recently had a chance to work with adidas designing custom jumpsuits. I know you were very involved in the design process. Can you tell us a little bit about what it was like working with them on that?
It was different for me. I have an appreciation for coming up with your own ideas and putting them on paper, seeing what works and what doesn’t work as far as materials and timing. You have to bring your ideas to life. You don’t want it to be something that you didn’t envision. So working with a group of people at adidas made me really happy because we bounced our ideas off of each other. This was my first time having ideas as far as design, so I went in wanting to make my idea better through working together. This is my first time, but it wasn’t adidas’ first time. I went into it with an open mind, wanting to just have a conversation and learn to take those next steps. It was fun.
Are there any designers that you specifically appreciate?
Craig Green. I love everything that they make. Issey Miyake is definitely a brand I look at for detail. I’ve recently been on a Japanese wave lately. I just love the way they present themselves and all the materials are top notch. It’s always constructed the right way.
Have you made a trip out there yet?
I’ve been to Tokyo. This past off-season I was in Tokyo. I went to Kyoto and I went to Shibuya. I had a little too much fun. I had to come back and chill out for the next month or two because I went a little bit too crazy. It’s definitely one of the places that I look for as far as style inspiration. They know what they’re doing out there.
What makes your style unique?
It’s more for me and how I feel in that moment, or that morning, that afternoon. I’ve got to be comfortable. I can’t be in anything that is not going to make me comfortable. Fit is everything. Sometimes I like my pants a little tight, sometimes I like them a little loose. It’s all predicated on how I feel that day, what mood I’m in. I don’t necessarily go for making a statement, it’s more of putting on my clothes and being comfortable. Whether they like it or they don’t. People get caught up in the things that are easy to see. For example, your hat, or your shoes. Some people might not notice you have something on your wrist that might mean something to you that nobody knows about. It could be a simple detail that takes the fit over the top. I have an appreciation for that because I like details.
Are there any details on your fit right now?
I use this rubber band because I heard a long time ago that Kevin Garnett would pop himself with a rubber band every time he had a bad play or possession. So, that’s something that I remember being young and will always remember. I also have this Goyard dog collar as a bracelet. You know, football… you gotta be a dog out there.
I have to ask this now: have you ever bricked a fit?
No, not a f***ing chance! I wake up in the morning, I put it on with confidence, I go out the next day with it. I wouldn’t be wearing it if I wouldn’t wear it two days in a row.
What’s one thing people don’t know about Stefon that they should?
It’s weird. I’m a people person, easy to talk to. But I’ve built up a wall, a comfortable wall.
Let’s get a peek through the wall.
Like the little slide latch thing? Alright, I’m ready. I got a big heart. I’m a hopeless romantic. Meaning that these days people don’t believe in monogamy, but one day I got hopes of being married with five kids and a white picket fence. House on the hill.
Out here in Minnesota?
I don’t know, it gets a little cold. Alright, hopeless romantic. I’m shutting that door, next question!
What’s next for you?
I’m going to keep working at my day job. (laughs) Right now I have some goals and things I want to get done as far as what’s on my goals spreadsheet that I write down. I want to keep increasing all my efforts into my career. With fashion and designing clothes, when I get spare time I’m going to invest my time into grinding and getting it in, but I’m also putting in time into building that next step. Like the home and things for kids, and to just keep putting these fits together. I’m going to keep on putting them together until they have my name on them.
