FRISCO, Texas — Trevon Diggs is back. A mercurial season for the All-Pro cornerback includes his latest battle with injury, two, actually, that ultimately forced the Dallas Cowboys to place him on injured reserve ahead of Week 7, where he's been rehabbing since.
Diggs suffered a concussion in an "incident at home" several weeks ago, per head coach Brian Schottenheimer at the time, and his continued struggles with soreness in his knee led to a combined seven-game absence to this point but, on Saturday, ahead of the Week 16 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Cowboys activated him to the active 53-man roster.
"i'm ready," Diggs told media in Week 15, ahead of the eventual loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
He returns as fellow All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland prepares for season-ending IR, currently mulling surgical options for his injured foot.
The goal for Diggs is now a simple one: prove to everyone he's still the All-Pro ballhawk that set records in 2021. He's since had multiple stints on injured reserve, including two that ended his season, in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Having returned to practice as the Cowboys prepared to visit the Lions, there was a good chance Diggs might've returned in Detroit if not for a game time decision to have him produce in more practices before taking the field again under the bright lights. With another two weeks' worth of practices under his belt, Schottenheimer and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus feel they've seen the consistency and approach they were hoping for.
With that, Diggs will retake his role as No. 1 cornerback, but without Bland, and there is plenty of motivation to try and excel, regardless of what the Cowboys' postseason situation may or may not be by the time they kick things off against the Chargers.
"It's been hard. It's definitely been hard," said Diggs, recently. "Of course, you want to get back out there, but, you know, people feel how they feel, and you gotta roll with the punches and keep pushing forward. … Just being able to go back out there with my brothers, being able to play with those guys, running around, flying around, hitting people, taking the ball away — just doing everything together as a team. I feel like that's the most fun part.
"I miss that."
One of the NFL's marquis receivers returns with an uncertain future, but with a chance to put both hands back on the wheel.
