The Dallas Cowboys had a dream start to the season after two blowout victories, but Thursday felt like more of a nightmare than anything.
After practice, star cornerback Trevon Diggs was spotted on crutches with an apparent knee injury. Later on, an MRI confirmed the Cowboys' worst fear of a torn ACL, officially ending Diggs' season.
"A timetable for Diggs' return has not been established, but he is currently projected to miss the remainder of the current season," the Cowboys said in a statement via email to CowboysSI.com.
If that wasn't bad enough, Diggs was off to a great start to the season. In two games, he had four tackles, three passes defended, an interception, a forced fumble and allowed just three receptions for 31 yards on nine targets. Diggs also signed a massive five-year extension in the offseason, adding even more insult to injury.
Diggs' injury doesn't just hurt the Cowboys on the field, but in the locker room as well. He's a heart-and-soul player for Dallas, and losing him is a big emotional blow. Quarterback Dak Prescott offered his condolences to Diggs in the wake of the injury, showing just how important he is to the team.
“I’m not going to speak on anything," Prescott told reporters. "It’s way too early. I saw what I guess a couple of you saw, him leaving the field. But prayers, hoping for the best.”
Linebacker Micah Parsons also shared a heartfelt showing of support for Diggs, taking to Twitter to do so.
"I am my brothers keeper! I got you 7! No more need to be said!" Parsons tweeted.
Diggs has been remarkably sturdy in recent years, missing just one game over the last two seasons. The Cowboys hav also had relatively good injury luck this season, but unfortunately, that luck ran out on Thursday.
Losing a player of Diggs' caliber is a huge blow, but it's also an unfortunate reality of the NFL. Football is a war of attrition, and othe team that manages to stay the healthiest is often the one that ends up winning it all.
The Cowboys still have all their goals for this season in front of them, but there's no doubt that Diggs' injury hurts immensely.
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