New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs pleaded not guilty Friday to felony strangulation and other criminal charges stemming from an alleged dispute with his personal chef. The arraignment at Massachusetts' Dedham District Court had been postponed until after Super Bowl LX so Diggs could play in the NFL championship game.

According to court records, the chef told Dedham officers that she and Diggs argued about money he owed her for her work. During the Dec. 2 encounter at his home, she said, he "smacked her across the face" and "tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck," leaving her feeling short of breath. Diggs' attorney has said he "categorically denies these allegations," calling them unsubstantiated and motivated by a financial dispute.

At the arraignment, Diggs was scheduled to next appear for a pretrial hearing April 1. "I don't think there will be a [plea] deal because I don't think he is liable or guilty in any way, shape or form," said Mitchell Schuster, Diggs' attorney. Investigators said the woman first reported the incident to police on Dec. 16, two weeks after it occurred; she initially hesitated to file charges but later chose to do so, according to court documents.