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Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
In any other offseason, on any other team, things probably would have gone a lot worse for Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.
That’s because Diggs, a 2-time Pro Bowler and 2021 NFL All-Pro, was coming off his second consecutive season with a season ending knee injury. He only played 2 games in 2023 before he tore his ACL and played 11 games in 2024 before he needed surgery to repair the same knee.
Diggs came to training camp in 2025 facing questions over his work ethic focused squarely on the rehab process for his knee — questions from the very top of the franchise.
At one point, it didn’t seem like there was any way he would be available for the regular season opener at the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, September 7.
For one week at least, Diggs gets to tell everyone to shove it. He’s one of 2 Cowboys starters who are going to be available for the opener who were previously thought to not have a chance of doing so alongside offensive tackle Tyler Guyton.
At one point, it seemed like both players might be out for an extended period of time.
“After trending in the right direction during the week of practice, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs and left tackle Tyler Guyton carry no injury designation into Thursday’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and will be available to play,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote on September 3. “The question is how much. On Friday, coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged it is easier to mix and match how much Diggs plays compared with Guyton because of their positions. During training camp in Oxnard, California, it was unclear when either would be able to play this season.”
Having Diggs on the field against the Eagles is important for several really important reason. Not only are the Cowboys hurting on defense after trading NFL All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on August 28, but Philadelphia also has arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver duo in NFL All-Pro A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Trevon Diggs got a lot of crap from the front office about how he was rehabbing.
And he beat his orginal TL by MONTHS. Kudos to him. https://t.co/FFR7CAJK48
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) September 3, 2025
Diggs Started Training Camp With Massive Fine
Diggs came into training camp with some bad press after news broke his salary was being reduced by $500,000 after he elected to do the rehab for his knee in Florida and a de-escalator clause in his contract dictated the pay cut.
“Cowboys officials plan to withhold $500,000 of cornerback Trevon Diggs‘ salary for not working out enough with the team this offseason,” The Dallas Morning News Cowboys reporter Calvin Watkins wrote on July 17. “Team officials will deduct $500,000 from Diggs’ $9 million base salary for his failure to complete at least 84% of his offseason workouts, a person with knowledge of Diggs’ contract told The Dallas Morning News. Diggs’ agent did not respond when asked for comment about the salary deduction.”
Diggs, who signed a 5-year, $97 million contract extension in July 2023, returned off the PUP list on August 24.
If Diggs is healthy, he’s one of the NFL’s elite players at his position. In 5 seasons, he has 20 career interceptions, including an NFL-leading 11 interceptions in 2021.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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