Coach Schottenheimer clarifies the real reasons behind Trevon Diggs' unexpected departure, revealing a series of "last straws" impacting team culture.
"I'm not 'The Grinch.''
That is part of Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer's four-word explanation of the truth regarding "the last straw'' that ended Trevon Diggs career here with his unceremonious cut on Tuesday.
There have been a variety of reports about how Diggs' request to stay in Washington (where he has family) after the team's Christmas win over the Commanders has been handled ... or mishandled.
And frankly, there's a lot of media water-carrying going on here.
It is not, customary to some of those reports, "common'' for players to skip riding the team charter after a road game. Furthermore, in the unusual case when it does happen, there is a protocol.
The request is made in advance, not, as Schottenheimer claims happened here, after the game. (And according to some insiders, about 10 minutes before players were to be on the bus on the way from the stadium to the airport.)
Said Schottenheimer of the standard travel policy: “We go up as a team, we come back as a team.”
As I have reported, this incident was not "the reason'' Diggs was cut. Rather, there have been a series of "last straws'' that led to this. (See below.)
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Schottenheimer said Diggs didn’t make his request until after the game. The coach denied granting that request.
Diggs opted to disobey his boss and did not board the plane.
And of course that - combined with the fact that Diggs' performance and attitude has been awful this year - is a fireable offense.
“It was one of many factors, it was not the only factor,” Schottenheimer said. “I’m not the Grinch that stole Christmas, I love Christmas, I love my family. But at the end of the day we have a protocol that we go through. ...
“My protocol - unless there is a family emergency or something specific— the protocol is we all go up,” Schottenheimer added. “Other players had asked, and they were all told the same thing.
"I made that very clear to Trevon, and he certainly didn’t agree.”
Schottenheimer is very much focused on building the Cowboys "culture,'' so it's easy to see why the request was denied. ... as Diggs acted out yet again in a way that demonstrates his lack of commitment to the Cowboys cause.
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Said Schottenheimer: “Why? We’re family. ... You guys know how important culture is. When you win, it’s fun to be together and celebrate. And when you lose, it’s good to be together to talk and discuss. And try to work through the problem. ...
"That’s the way that we operate here as the Dallas Cowboys.”
And that's part of the reason Trevon Diggs is no longer a member of the Dallas Cowboys.