Micah Parsons questions Cowboys' handling of Trevon Diggs' health: ‘I think they let him down’
PITTSBURGH - As confusion surrounding Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs' health continues, Micah Parsons criticized the club's handling of his close friend and former teammate's health.
The Cowboys placed Diggs on injured reserve Saturday after an Oct. 16 concussion compounded weekly concerns about a lingering knee injury that had sidelined Diggs during training camp.
Diggs nonetheless played in the Cowboys' Sept. 4 opener at the Philadelphia Eagles, a timeline Parsons questioned from the postgame locker room after his Green Bay Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and head coach Brian Schottenheimer have each spoken multiple times about Diggs' health in the 11 days since he sustained a concussion, each also speaking publicly in the two days since he was placed on injured reserve.
Diggs has not made any public comments, nor has the team explained how he sustained the concussion beyond saying it occurred in an accident at his home and it is up to Diggs whether he wants to share more.
Given the lack of clarity on Diggs' health, Yahoo Sports asked Parsons: What message would he tell Cowboys fans who have questions about Diggs' health?
Honestly, I feel like they f***ed my dog over, you know what I mean?" Parsons told Yahoo Sports. He's coming off a catastrophic knee injury and I just didn't think they did right by him. He didn't participate all camp and he's going out there playing Week 1 and 2. I just don't think you do that to a player like that.
And the type of knee injury he had, they forced him out there. He has no reps really. He's telling me he was in warmup phase during Week 1. Even with the ramp-up, I just feel like you just don't do that."
When reached for comment, Cowboys officials declined to respond to Parsons' remarks.
Diggs returned to practice Aug. 25 after passing his physical on Aug. 24 in order to be activated off the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list.
The Cowboys listed him as a full practice participant each day leading up to the season opener and did not include an injury designation for him on the practice report in Week 2.
But since the Cowboys' Week 2 win over the Giants, Diggs has been on the practice report each week. An illness kept him out of a walkthrough one day leading into Week 3, then his knee limited him for some but not all practices entering Weeks 4 and 5, per Cowboys-issued practice reports. By Week 6, Diggs was limited each day Wednesday through Friday and designated as questionable to play against the Carolina Panthers.
Diggs played all 67 defensive snaps in the Cowboys' Oct. 12 loss to the Panthers and was listed as a full practice participant the following Wednesday and Thursday leading into the evening of his concussion.
Schottenheimer said Sunday after the Cowboys' loss to the Denver Broncos that Diggs was still in Phase 1 of the NFL's five-phase concussion protocol and his knee has been problematic throughout the season." The injured-reserve designation was related to that, Schottenheimer said.
After visiting with the medical staff, we felt like the best interest of the team and Trevon was to get him back healthy," Schottenheimer said. Trevon's going to work his ass off to get back. He loves playing the game, and I have no question in my mind that he'll do everything to get back.
But part of the deal is it's not just us. It's him. It's the training staff."
Parsons took issue with the process.
I just feel like they screwed him over," Parsons told Yahoo Sports. The organization let him down. You know what I mean? You just don't do that to a player. And I just think it was mad wrong and I just pray for him."
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Jerry Jones said Sunday that Diggs has got an area that's hurt and that'll have to heal," adding that he's just generally got to be in better shape to play."
A person with direct knowledge of Diggs' health told Yahoo Sports on Monday afternoon that Diggs remained in the early phases of the concussion protocol but was doing much better today."
The Cowboys have voiced displeasure with Diggs' approach to rehabilitating his knee injury, including Diggs' decision to rehabilitate in the offseason in Florida rather than with the Cowboys' in-house staff. Diggs has said he wanted to use the physical therapist that his brother, New England Patriots receiver Stefon Diggs, used for strength, conditioning and rehabilitation. But the Cowboys exercised their contractual option to fine Diggs $500,000 for not rehabilitating in-house, saying they believed his rehabilitation did not progress as quickly as it could have because of that decision.
Diggs said Aug. 25 that he had no issues with the training staff" in Dallas.
Me and [director of rehabilitation] Britt [Brown] are cool, that's my guy," Diggs said. We go back and forth. We have our differences, but he just wants the best for me... .
It was never nothing against the Dallas Cowboys and the program."
Diggs said Aug. 25 that the conditioning to return to in-game speed would be the biggest obstacle to playing in the season opener, and that his personal timetable for return was between Weeks 1 and 3.
I don't have no limitations," he said then. It's just ramping up the conditioning part."
Stephen Jones declined to confirm Monday on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan whether Diggs agreed with the decision to place him on injured reserve, saying only: We won't get into all the private conversations that we have internally."
When asked if there were lingering issues between Diggs and the club, Jones reiterated his initial comment.
Same answer," Jones said. We have ongoing dialogue with players all the time. Pretty much, for the most part, with all of them. And we don't share that dialogue."
Diggs has also yet to provide clarity on his concussion or status on injured reserve after playing in six games and starting four games through the season's first eight weeks.
He registered 18 tackles, including one tackle for loss, on 329 defensive snaps.
I just hope he gets into a situation where he can have a lot of success," Parsons said, because I know what type of player he can be when he's healthy.
I think they let him down."