Cowboys coach addresses Trevon Diggs drama as activation deadline nears

The Dallas Cowboys are quickly approaching a crossroads with Trevon Diggs, and clarity is finally starting to emerge, even if the outcome remains unresolved.

Why Trevon Diggs still isn’t playing for Cowboys

Diggs, a former All-Pro cornerback, has spent much of the 2025 season fighting an uphill battle. After returning from a torn ACL suffered late last year, his on-field impact was limited early in the season, and his campaign was further derailed by a concussion and lingering knee issues that eventually landed him on injured reserve.

When Dallas opened Diggs’ 21-day practice window in late November, it appeared to signal an imminent return. He was a full participant in practices and was even included in the team’s defensive plans heading into last Sunday night’s game against Minnesota. Then, just hours before kickoff, the Cowboys ruled him out.

Diggs made it clear afterward that the decision caught him off guard.

According to Diggs, he believed all week that he would play, only to be informed at the last minute that the team had decided otherwise, a move that confused fans given his practice workload and apparent readiness.

On Monday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the situation publicly for the first time, emphasizing that the decision was not made lightly and that Diggs was fully informed.

Schottenheimer said he and Diggs met privately on Saturday for what he described as a detailed, honest conversation about why the team chose to hold him out. While Schottenheimer declined to share specifics, he stressed that communication and expectations were clearly laid out.

“I’m always going to have real conversations,” Schottenheimer said, adding that he would never sideline a player without explaining the reasoning behind it. “I told him the reasons why, along with the standards and expectations...I thought I made it very clear, and so I’ll leave it at that.”

Despite Diggs’ belief that he’s ready to return, Schottenheimer suggested the process is still ongoing and intentional. The Cowboys, he noted, plan to use the full three-week ramp-up window allowed under league rules before making a final determination. Time, however, is not on Dallas’ side.

The Cowboys must activate Diggs to the active roster by the end of his 21-day window, or his season will come to an abrupt end. With only a handful of practices remaining before that deadline, the pressure is on, not just for 2025, but potentially for Diggs’ future in Dallas.

Schottenheimer made it clear the door isn’t closed.

“There’s absolutely still a chance,” he said. “We know the kind of player Trevon is.”

Dallas hosts the Los Angeles Chargers next, and whether Diggs is cleared to suit up could say a lot about how the organization views both his health and his long-term role. If he’s not activated, it may mark the beginning of the end of Diggs’ tenure with the Cowboys.

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