👋 Good morning! - I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and managed to stay dry. Surprisingly, this summer hasn’t felt quite as scorching as years past. Now, just two days separate us from Cowboys-Eagles in Philly. The biggest storyline heading into Thursday is the health of a few key players, though we likely won’t know much until kickoff. One thing’s certain: our Cowboys coverage is only just starting to heat up. Football might be stealing the spotlight right now, but I hope you’ve been keeping an eye on the Texas Rangers too. - Ali Jawad

The Dallas Cowboys might be catching a break at just the right time. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, who hasn’t played since tearing knee cartilage last November, is trending toward suiting up Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. After back-to-back full practices, Diggs admitted he feels “75 to 80 percent” confident he’ll be on the field in the opener. His potential return would give Dallas a full-strength secondary of Diggs, DaRon Bland, and Kaiir Elam.

Of course, the storyline hanging over everything is the stunning Micah Parsons trade. Less than a week after shipping their generational pass rusher to Green Bay, the Cowboys are scrambling to reshape their identity without the locker room’s biggest presence. Parsons left with a record-shattering four-year, $188 million deal, while Dallas added Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The hole Parsons leaves behind isn’t just on the stat sheet, it’s in the heart of the locker room.

Inside that locker room, players are moving forward, at least publicly. Dak Prescott, the longest-tenured Cowboy and a team captain, admitted the saga “got personal” but insists the group has turned the page. “I know our focus right now is Philly,” Prescott said. “Nobody’s hung up on it. Honestly, I’m glad we’ve moved past it.” Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa echoed the sentiment, acknowledging Parsons was his guy but stressing the need to focus on Thursday night.

Not everyone is shrugging it off so easily. CeeDee Lamb called Parsons “unblockable, unstoppable” and admitted, “Honestly, it sucked.” Trevon Diggs, Parsons’ best friend on the team, quickly shut down any whispers that players were happy to see Parsons go. Instead, he pointed the finger at jealousy from departed veterans like DeMarcus Lawrence, who clashed with Parsons on the way out. For Diggs, the trade wasn’t just surprising, it was painful. “That’s my best friend,” he said. “I was extremely sad.”

The Parsons drama will resurface when the Packers visit AT&T Stadium on Sept. 28, but for now the Cowboys are locked in on Philly. And with Diggs hinting at a return, Dallas could roll out its best possible secondary on opening night. The only question: can they withstand the emotional whiplash of losing their most dominant player days before taking on the defending champs?

In celebration of our one year anniversary last week, Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban sat down with the DLLS Mavs Podcast to reflect on life after selling the team in 2023. He opened up about how his connection with Mavs fans has, or hasn’t, shifted since stepping away. Cuban also tackled the raw emotions surrounding the controversial Luka Dončić trade to the Lakers. Plus, he gave his honest take on his current relationship with GM Nico Harrison.

The Texas Rangers just won their sixth straight in wild fashion, and this one had everything, late drama, unlikely heroes, and a clutch swing from a .149 hitter. Alejandro Osuna delivered the knockout blow with a two-run single in the 10th, stunning the Diamondbacks. Jake Burger came back from injury and immediately sparked the rally with a game-tying triple. And suddenly, the Rangers are right back in the playoff chase, breathing down Seattle’s neck.

This one is for you Tennis fans. We were watching this in the Cowboys media room yesterday. Shout out to Naomi Osaka for the massive win.

Be sure to subscribe to our shows wherever you listen to your podcasts. Traffic can be the worst, and one of the best ways I get through it is by listening to the audio versions of our DLLS shows. You should, too!

Ali Jawad
Dallas Cowboys ​Content Creator/Newsletter Writer
[email protected]