Cowboys’ Diggs tears his ACL

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs tore the ACL in his left knee in practice Thursday, a major setback for a defense off to a great start in 2023.

The team said an MRI confirmed the tear and that while there was no timetable for a return, the 2021 All-Pro was expected to miss the rest of the season.

Diggs was seen leaving the team’s headquarters on crutches. He had his first interception of the season in last Sunday’s 3010 victory over the Jets.

Diggs is tied for the NFL lead with 18 interceptions since entering the league in 2020.

It’s quite a blow for a defense that has had 10 sacks and seven takeaways without a turnover by the Dallas offense. The plus-7 turnover margin led the NFL through two games.

Diggs signed a $97 million, five-year contract extension at the start of training camp.

Burrow hopeful

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow said he’s day to day and doesn’t know yet if a lingering calf injury will keep him out of Monday’s night’s game against the Rams.

Burrow said he “tweaked” the injury late in last Sunday’s loss to the Ravens. He wore a compression sleeve on his entire right leg Thursday but said the calf “is not as sore.” He didn’t throw during the early part of practice open to the media.

“I’m preparing like I’m going to go out and play a Monday night football game,” he said. “Whether that happens, I don’t know.

“Time heals,” he said, “so we’ll see.”

Burrow strained his right calf muscle on the second day of onfield workouts in training camp on July 27. That sidelined him for more than a month, depriving him of valuable preseason reps with his offense.

Burrow said he aggravated the injury on the Bengals’ final drive of the loss to the Ravens. He found Tee Higgins in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown, then limped to the sideline favoring his right leg.

Asked if the Bengals’ 0-2 start creates more urgency for him to get back on the field, he said: “It’s in my head, for sure. I’m thinking about it.”

Defending hit

Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick believes the hit that ended Browns running back Nick Chubb’s season on Monday night was unfortunate but not dirty.

Fitzpatrick dived at Chubb’s legs in an effort to stop the Cleveland star near the Pittsburgh goal line early in the second quarter of what became a 26-22 Steelers victory.

Chubb had Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb on his back when Fitzpatrick struck Chubb’s left leg. The leg stayed planted on the Acrisure Stadium turf while his body bent over the top of Pittsburgh’s All-Pro safety.

Chubb will undergo surgery to repair the injury and faces a lengthy rehab. Fitzpatrick called the injury “unfortunate” but defended himself against critics who believe the hit was illegal.

“I’m a guy that is a competitor, that is going to go out there and play the game,” Fitzpatrick said Thursday. “I’m chippy. I’m edgy of course, but I’m not a dirty player. I’m not going to sit here and defend my character. I know the type of player I am. Chubb knows the type of player I am.”

Fitzpatrick, who bruised his chest on the play, said he told Chubb on the field before the running back was taken away in a cart that the hit was not intentional.

“No chance that I would ever try to purposely injure somebody,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was an unfortunate hit. We play a physical game and people get hurt and you know, people sit behind a screen and tell me how I should have done it and what they would done, they’ve never played the game.”

Dalton likely to start

Panthers veteran quarterback Andy Dalton acknowledged he’s having a little more fun this week knowing he’s likely to start Sunday against the Seahawks.

The Panthers said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that rookie QB Bryce Young “isn’t expected to play” after missing his second straight day of practice Thursday.

Team spokesman Bruce Speight confirmed to the AP that Young is not expected to play.

That means Jake Luton is expected to be promoted from the practice squad and be Carolina’s No. 2 quarterback this week.

“It’s always nice because I have had a certain way of operating in my career, and when you go from starting to being the backup that is one of the things that you miss,” said Dalton.

Dalton made it clear his goal is not to steal Young’s starting job, but instead to help the Panthers win.

Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, injured his ankle Monday night’s 20-17 loss to the Saints.