Trevon Diggs once electrified the NFL as a league-leader in interceptions, earning All-Pro honors and a massive payday from the Dallas Cowboys. But just a few years after his breakout season, Diggs has found himself at the center of a contract controversy.
The star cornerback’s recent injury battles have limited his impact — and now, his paycheck. Dallas owner Jerry Jones finally addressed the situation and the decision that cost Diggs $500,000.
What Did Trevon Diggs Do to Cause the Cowboys to Dock His Salary?
The Cowboys made Diggs a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he quickly developed into a quality NFL cornerback. Diggs made the Pro Bowl and was named first-team All-Pro in his second season after posting 52 tackles, 21 pass breakups, and leading the league with 11 interceptions and two pick-sixes.
Dallas signed Diggs to a five-year, $97 million extension after he made the Pro Bowl again in 2022, but he’s only played in 13 total games over the last two seasons. Diggs played in two games in 2023 after tearing his left ACL during an early-season practice.
All 11 of Trevon Diggs’ INTs from 2021
11 INT
21 Pass Deflections
2 pick 6’spic.twitter.com/GcZaZFeNKI— CowboysMuse (@Cowboys_Muse_) July 18, 2025
He returned for 11 games last season, posting 42 tackles, 11 pass breakups, and two interceptions. However, he missed Weeks 12 and 13 with a groin injury, then was ruled out for the season to undergo surgery on a lingering injury to the same knee that had been injured the previous year.
Diggs missed part of the Cowboys’ offseason program this spring by choosing to rehab away from the team facility. The decision triggered a contractual clause that reduced his 2025 salary by $500,000.
Cowboys reporter Jon Machota tweeted Jones’s comments on Diggs. The owner said, “He didn’t earn it. He didn’t come. That’s in his contract. … Bottom line is those are contractual things.”
Jerry Jones on Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs losing money from his base salary for not rehabbing enough at the team facility this offseason: “He didn’t earn it. He didn’t come. That’s in his contract. … Bottom line is those are contractual things.” pic.twitter.com/SREMrX17xy
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 21, 2025
NFL offseason programs are typically voluntary for players until a mandatory minicamp before the summer break. While they’re voluntary, coaches would prefer that all players attend the entire program. Diggs had a clause in his contract to incentivize his attendance, but decided to ignore it.
Jones’s response was short and to the point, but the team didn’t do anything wrong if the Diggs signed the contract with the clause in it.
The Cowboys’ defense struggled last year after absorbing long-term injuries to Diggs and fellow starting cornerback DaRon Bland. All-world edge rusher Micah Parsons also missed time early in the season, and Mike Zimmer’s unit was overmatched.
Dallas finished 28th in yards and 31st in points allowed in 2024 after finishing fifth in both the previous year. It’s a tough break that Diggs’s injury caused him to miss out on $500K, but that wouldn’t have happened if he had just shown up at the team facility.
