Inside The Star
When I heard Brian Schottenheimer’s comments about Trevon Diggs’ potential return, the statement analyst in me immediately went to work.
Coaches often reveal more in their phrasing than they do in their intentions, and this quote didn’t sound like a routine injury update. It sounded cautious, non-committal, and layered with signals.
I see signals that Diggs’ future in Dallas may be uncertain, and the team isn’t willing to publicly admit it.
The full quote:
“He’s still in the ramp-up period. I think he does feel healthy; I know he wants to play, but at the end of the day, we have to do what we think is in the best interest of not just him, but also the football team. When you miss time, the ramp-up time is good not just for your body, but for your mind and figuring out some of the defense; there’s some new faces in the huddle and things like that. Love him as a player, but ultimately he’s got to show us he’s ready to do everything the right way.”
Here’s how I broke down his wording through statement analysis, and why it raises questions about whether Diggs ever plays another snap for the Cowboys.
My Analysis: A purposely vague timeline.
If a coach thinks a player is close, you hear words like “progressing,” “encouraged,” or “we’re hopeful for this week.”
“Ramp-up period” is a broad, open-ended phrase with no specific end date. That tells me the team is not operating with urgency to get Trevon Diggs back on the field.
It sets the expectation that waiting, maybe a long wait, is still on the table.
My analysis: Classic distancing language.
Words matter, and Schottenhiemer chose “he does feel healthy” instead of “he is healthy.” The difference in those two phrases is huge.
He acknowledges how Diggs feels but doesn’t validate them as a fact. This subtly separates the team’s evaluation from the player’s self-assessment. It also protects the Cowboys from criticism:
This is strategic phrasing to shift accountability away from the team.
My Analysis: Justification language before an unpopular decision.
When someone starts justifying something, it often means they anticipate push back.
This line broadens the focus from Diggs to the team as a whole, something coaches do when a player’s role or future is no longer automatic.
This is the kind of talk you would hear when preparation is taking place for something you may not like.
