FRISCO, Texas – Trevon Diggs spent way more time with reporters Wednesday than the soft-spoken cornerback of the Dallas Cowboys normally does, if he holds a weekly session at all.
The reason was clear. Diggs was answering questions for the first time since confronting a television reporter while still in full uniform just minutes after a 30-24 loss to San Francisco last weekend.
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Diggs apologized to the reporter, who later said he was sorry for any misinterpretation of a post on X, formerly Twitter, questioning Diggs' role in a 43-yard completion to tight end George Kittle that set up a 49ers touchdown.
The postgame exchange between Diggs and the reporter, which came just outside the locker room before it was open to the media, was caught on video. Diggs didn't talk to reporters in the locker room.
“I shouldn't have reacted the way I reacted. I apologize for that,” Diggs said as he turned to look at the reporter while answering a question from another media member. “Most of it caught me at the right time.”
The episode raised plenty of questions about Diggs’ priorities with the Cowboys (3-4) on their second two-game losing streak of the season going into a visit to NFC South-leading Atlanta (5-3) on Sunday.
The 2021 All-Pro defended himself over the perception of checking his phone so soon after a game.
“It’s 2024. Social media, this is it,” Diggs said. “It’s just a part of our life now. I don’t see nothing wrong with me going online after the game or anybody going online after the game, checking what you want to check. Maybe I want to get away from the game and just scroll, you know.”
Diggs was a 2020 second-round draft pick out of Alabama, where now-retired coach Nick Saban used to preach about avoiding the outside noise he called “rat poison.”
The smile over that reminder seemed an admission from Diggs that he failed his old college coach's test.
“Yeah, it may have been a little rat poison,” said Diggs, who had the first double-digit interception season in the NFL in 40 years with 11 when he made All-Pro three years ago. “Fell for the bait a little bit.”
On the play in question, the Cowboys were in man-to-man coverage and Kittle ran away from safety Donovan Wilson for the big gain.
Diggs was running with his man when he glanced and saw Kittle. He continued pursuing the play and was credited with a tackle after forcing Kittle out of bounds at the Dallas 4-yard line. Diggs said that's why he was upset about the post.
“I was the last line of defense and I felt like I prevented him from scoring,” Diggs said. “I took the highest angle. I didn’t think that my effort was a problem.”
Diggs missed practice Wednesday with a calf injury and is about a year removed from surgery for a torn knee ligament that sidelined him for all but two games last season.
Part of the issue of his play being questioned is that it came in a game where Diggs says he “felt like himself.” He seemed to be saying that was a first since the injury, which happened in practice.
“I’m not going to say it’s been hard. It’s just been some getting used to,” Diggs said. “Felt like it’s been a year since I had my surgery and it was like my year mark and I felt good. Banging and tackling and running and cutting.”
Coach Mike McCarthy said he didn't see Diggs' outburst as a sign of trouble inside the Dallas locker room, and owner/general manager Jerry Jones had no issue with the 26-year-old's reaction.
“We all realize that we need to, if you will, have a ‘bite your lip’ where you need to,” Jones said on his radio show. “To that end, you want to not overdo it. This is an emotional game. It doesn’t alarm me in any way to see the manifestation of emotion.”
Diggs acknowledged the frustration that led to the confrontation.
“It is tough. We’re losing. It doesn't feel good. I hate losing,” Diggs said. “You want to win so bad and you do everything you can to win and you don’t get the win. It’s easy to get frustrated.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL