OXNARD, Calif. – Ever since Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons became Cowboys teammates in 2021, they've been inseparable.
That was the case on Tuesday as well, as the pair held a joint press conference with reporters on the field after the Cowboys wrapped up their first training camp practice, both standing up for one another amdist Parsons looking for a contract extension and Diggs being docked $500,000 after not meeting a contractual clause for offseason participation.
While things may seem a little bit testy right now between the two and the Cowboys' front office, when all is said and done, Diggs and Parsons just want to continue sharing the field.
"At the end of the day, he's on the field with us," Parsons said of Diggs. "We're on the field playing the games and things like that. So, I'm just going to control my teammates, keep boosting it, and you know, we just want to keep playing together."
It wasn't very long ago that Diggs was in a similar situation as Parsons: Looking for a new deal. Just like Parsons has been there for Diggs' recovery process, Diggs has been giving Parsons advice on getting a deal done and is confident he'll get his money's worth.
"I'm just telling him to stay patient, it's coming," Diggs said. "He's the best player in the NFL."
Diggs added that Parsons attending the team's training camp and being on the field with his teammates, albeit not in team periods, is a sign of Parsons' commitment to the organization.
"It means a lot, it shows leadership, it shows he wants to be here," Diggs said. "He really wants to be here, I've been with him ever since he came in, he's worked hard, he's earned everything, he's earned every dollar, he's performed on the field. So, you know, I think it's time to get him done, make sure we can keep this thing together."
Each negotiation process is different, and every player and team handles how they go about them in different ways. So far, Diggs thinks Parsons is doing all of the right things.
"I think he's handled the situation really well…" Diggs said. "Everyone has a family, everyone has responsibilities, everyone needs to think about their future, you never know what's going to happen, so for him to go out there and risk injury or something… I understand it, I see where he's coming from."
Conversely, Parsons made sure to be there for Diggs as well, including even going to where he was training in South Florida.
"He came to check on me, made sure I was doing what I was supposed to be doing." Diggs said.
The Cowboys enacted the de-escaltor in Diggs' contract because of his decision to train in South Florida and not enough at the team's practice facilities. In Parsons' eyes, Diggs was just doing what he felt was best for himself and his recovery.
"At the end of the day, this is his business, his body, it's his body equity. He's gotta feel like he got to do what's best for his body. Like always, at the end of the day, if he's not available, what are they going to do? Get rid of him. So he's got to keep his body up to par."
Diggs was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list at the start of training camp, but was continuing his rehab process off to the side at practice Tuesday while Parsons also watched from the sidelines while supporting his teammates. It could be a while before the two share the field again, but the bottom line is they both want to play together as long as they can.
