Dallas Cowboys suffer crushing injury blow after unbeaten NFL start

21 September 2023 , 22:22

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Trevon Diggs does look likely to play for the Dallas Cowboys again this season

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs is out for the rest of the NFL season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in training.

Diggs, 25, did the damage on Thursday, the day after his birthday. NFL Network reports that the defender later underwent an MRI scan to confirm the team's worst fears.

The signs were not good before the confirmation came, either. Diggs - The Dallas Morning News reports - was on crutches around the facility after the incident.

It reportedly happened early on in the session, during 1-on-1 work. “A timetable for Diggs’ return to play has not been established, but he is currently projected to miss the remainder of the current season,” said the team statement.

Diggs is the seventh player on league-wide injury reports with this specific injury. August saw half a dozen players injure one of the knee's key ligaments. New Orleans Saints linebacker Andrew Dowell was the first four days into the month.

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Four days later, Houston Texans wide receiver Jesse Matthews joined the league-wide injured reserve list for the same reason. Fellow receiver Ashton Dulin did the same during the middle of the month while training for the Indianapolis Colts.

Then, within five days, Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Tommy Doyle, Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams and Baltimore Ravens offensive guard Andrew Vorhees doubled the list. It has already been a start to the season best by season-ending injuries.

Diggs has torn his ACL three years on from Cowboys quarterback breaking his ankle early on in the 2020 season (AP)

Ravens running back JK Dobbins and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with Achilles tears during Week One alone. A week later, Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson fractured his fibula.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Avonte Maddox also has a torn pectoral muscle. Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson potentially has the same problem and is on the injured reserve, awaiting the finalisation of those fears.

Last weekend also saw Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb carted off after suffering another season-ending knee injury. Diggs is the latest to be hit by such bad fortune this midweek.

The setback is approaching two months since agreeing to a five-year, $97 million contract extension with the Cowboys. Fresh from the renewal that guaranteed $42.3 million on top of a $21.25 million signing bonus, Diggs started off the season well as part of the, statistically, best defence in the league.

Dallas is top for fewest allowed yards, fewest yards allowed per play, interception rate and sack rate. Diggs also impressed individually, forcing a fumble and an interception to go along with three passes defensed and four tackles.

That has been a winning combination for the Cowboys, who are 2-0 to start the season and top of the NFC East. After shutting out division rivals the New York Giants 40-0 in the season opener on the road, the defence allowed just ten points in the 30-10 win over the Jets last weekend.

Matthew Abbott