NFL: Super Bowl-bound Diggs confident Olympic skier Vonn can conquer ACL injury

SAN FRANCISCO – New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs expressed confidence that American skiing star Lindsey Vonn can compete at the Milano Cortina Olympics despite a ruptured ACL, drawing on his own experience with the injury.

The 41-year-old Vonn, who won Olympic downhill gold in 2010, revealed this week that she suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during a World Cup crash last Friday.

Despite the injury, Vonn plans to ski in the Olympics wearing a brace, with her first event scheduled for Sunday – the same day Diggs will make his Super Bowl debut against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, California.

Diggs, who tore his ACL in October 2024 during his only season with the Houston Texans, shared his perspective on Vonn’s situation.

“I hope her surgery, when she does get it, goes successfully,” Diggs told reporters. “It’s crazy—anybody who’s torn their ACL knows that within a week or a few days, sometimes people can run or do what they need once the swelling is down.”

He explained the nature of the injury: “It’s kind of a weird injury. As long as you’re not cutting or decelerating, I think she should be fine.”

The veteran receiver was fully cleared for practice less than nine months after his injury and had already signed a three-year contract with New England during his recovery.

Diggs, the top receiver on a Patriots team that went from last in their division last year to a Super Bowl berth, praised Vonn’s determination.

“If she’s at the Olympics, she’s obviously an amazing athlete, so shout out to her,” Diggs said. “Her mental toughness is incredible. Hopefully she can go out there and give it her best. As long as she doesn’t have to stop and decelerate, I think she’ll be all right. Fingers crossed for her—I hope it goes well.”

-Reporting by Frank Pingue in San Francisco; Editing by Toby Davis/Reuters