BOSTON — Jury selection is expected to begin Monday in the assault trial of former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs in Dedham, Massachusetts. Diggs pleaded not guilty in February to a felony strangulation charge and a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

The charges stem from an alleged dispute between Diggs and his former private chef. According to court records, the chef told officers that she and Diggs had argued about money he owed her for work.

During the Dec. 2 encounter at Diggs's home in Dedham, Diggs allegedly struck the chef across the face and attempted to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck, court records show. The chef told officers she had trouble breathing and felt she could have blacked out.

Diggs's attorney said that Diggs categorically denies the allegations and that the allegations are unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute. Diggs did not speak to reporters outside court in February.

Before the trial, Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots. In his only season in New England, he led the team with 85 receptions, 1,013 receiving yards, and four touchdowns, serving as a target for quarterback Drake Maye during the Patriots' AFC East title run. The 1,000-yard season was the seventh of his career and followed a season-ending knee injury that cut short his one-year tenure with the Houston Texans in 2024.

Diggs was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 and later played for the Buffalo Bills before his stint in Houston. He was released by the Patriots in March.