Stefon Diggs brought some Buffalo flavor to the Pro Bowl Skills Showdown on Thursday.
The Bills’ wide receiver competed in the “best catch” portion of the made-for-TV event. The format was reminiscent of the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest, with Diggs one of two representatives for the AFC, joined by Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. They went up against Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson and Diggs’ little brother, Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
In the first round, Stefon Diggs spray painted a red line representative of a sideline. He then made a one-handed grab, but the three judges – former NFL receivers David Tyree and Santonio Holmes and actor Anthony Mackie – weren’t all that impressed, giving Diggs an average score of 86.7.
“I gave him a high score simply because when you’re running toward the sideline and you have to stop and concentrate on getting two feet, by far that was one of the most impressive catches I’ve seen on the sideline,” said Holmes, who gave him the high score of the three judges, with a 97.
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Trevon Diggs led after the first round, making a one-handed catch between his legs for an average score of 98.7.
“Very impressive,” Tyree said. “I’ve got to be honest, the Diggs family is giving me a lot to look forward to, so I’m teeing that 100 up for the next round.”
It turns out, they were just getting started.
Stefon Diggs went full Bills Mafia in the second round, which allowed props to be used. He jumped off the roof of a pickup truck and crashed through a folding table that contained his brother’s NFC jersey.
“They’re going to love that in Buffalo, and everywhere else,” host Steve Levy said. “Bills Mafia represented at the 2002 Pro Bowl Skills Showdown.
Diggs’ leap earned a perfect score of 100, but he still ended up finishing in fourth place with a total of 187.6 His younger brother earned bragging rights with a winning scored of 198.7, taking first place with a score of 100 in the second round after jumping off a trampoline and making a catch, followed by a full front flip.
“I had to represent for all my DBs out there,” Trevon Diggs said. “You know, they say that we can’t catch, but it’s a new age. We can catch. I did it on the fly. That was kind of disrespectful what my brother did.”
Trevon got some more revenge in the final event, which was a game of dodge ball. He eliminated his older brother by making a catch. The NFC won the game of dodge ball, and the overall competition, when Jefferson caught the final throw by Browns running back Nick Chubb.
The AFC will look to settle the score in the actual Pro Bowl, which takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday from the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium.
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Bills quarterback Josh Allen and his professional partner, Keith Mitchell, find themselves in a tie for 73rd place after shooting a 4-under 67 Thursday in the opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The format is net best ball of the partners. The pro and amateur each play every hole, and the score that is counted is the better one after the amateur’s handicap is factored in. Each amateur’s handicap is different, ranging from 0 (meaning they get no help) to 16 (which means they get one stroke on every hole except the two easiest on the course).
The tournament is played on three courses – Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Monterey Peninsula. Mitchell and Allen played Monterey Peninsula on Thursday. In the professional portion, Mitchell shot a 2-under 69 and is in a tie for 51st place. Mitchell and Allen will play Spyglass Hill on Friday. The tournament will air on Golf Channel from 3 to 6 p.m.
After the first three rounds, the field is cut to the top 60 professionals and top 25 pro-am teams, with Sunday’s final round to be played at Pebble Beach.
