Cowboys again disrespect star player

The Dallas Cowboys opted to exercising the salary de-escalator clause in the contract of Trevon Diggs’ contract for the 2025 season, reducing his $9 million base salary by $500,000. And despite the fact that Diggs is naturally not happy about this, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones is standing by his decision and not backing down from Diggs’ grievances.

Discussing the Cowboys decision to reduce his contract, Diggs explained last week that he was “hurt” by the decision. But according to Stephen Jones, Diggs has only himself to blame for the decision, as it stemmed from Diggs choosing to rehab an injury outside of the Cowboys organization and missing a good portion of team activities in the process.

“I think a player is much better off training with us than he is somewhere else,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Jon Machota of TheAthletic.com. “I just think the discipline to come in every day, do the work is there when they’re here. . . . One thing we can do, which we will continue to do, is put in every player’s contract, especially guys that we pay significant amounts of money. We expect leadership, and we expect them to be here. Certainly we addressed that with Diggs.

“He certainly paid a price for not being here. But we’re paying a price, too, because we felt like he’d might be further along had he done his rehab here. He may differ with that. But had he done his rehab here, we feel strongly that he might be further along. That’s in the best interest of the team and the organization that comes with getting a big contract, which he received.”

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones on @1053thefan on CB Trevon Diggs (knee) training away from the facility during the offseason: “I think a player is much better off training with us than he is somewhere else. I just think the discipline to come in every day, do the work is there when…

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 29, 2025

It’s not the best look to deduct a player’s salary for choosing to rehab an injury outside of the team facility. And it’s an even worse look to put Diggs’ leadership on blast in the process, which he did again in his appearance on 105.3 The Fan this week.

Clearly, the relationship between Diggs and the Cowboys organization isn’t at its best right now. So it will be interest to see whether this trend continues as we approach the 2025 season in just over a month.