QB Sam Darnold Takes Responsibility After “Game-Changing Play” Against Rams: “I Played Through Pain While Getting Hit Repeatedly in the Same Spot, Just Hoping to Create One Chance for the Seahawks”

The Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season didn’t just end — it quietly collapsed. Officially eliminated from playoff contention in late December after Philadelphia clinched the division, Dallas was left staring at a second straight postseason absence, a stark contrast to the three consecutive playoff runs from 2021 to 2023. And then came the move that sent a ripple across the league. The Cowboys cut Trevon Diggs. Around the NFL, most expected a familiar pattern: agents making calls, teams waiting for waivers to clear, front offices taking a breath. Instead, the league barely had time to react. Less than one hour after his release, all signs began pointing in one direction — San Francisco. This wasn’t a rumor born from desperation. It was a pivot with intent. Diggs’ exit from Dallas wasn’t about talent suddenly disappearing. The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback had become synonymous with high-impact defense — ball skills that change games, instincts that bait quarterbacks into mistakes, and a confidence that never wavered. But injuries, internal friction, and a team no longer chasing January football made the separation inevitable. San Francisco, meanwhile, represents the opposite end of the spectrum. A roster built to win now. A defense that thrives on pressure. A locker room that measures seasons not by development, but by rings. As the speculation intensified, Diggs offered a brief statement that instantly reframed the conversation — one that never mentioned Dallas, yet said everything it needed to say: “I’ve been on top of this league before, and I didn’t choose San Francisco just to be here. I chose the 49ers because I believe this is a place that can take me back to the top one more time.” No bitterness. No explanations. Just direction. Inside the 49ers’ building, the message landed clearly. This wasn’t a player seeking relevance — it was a veteran aligning himself with meaningful football. Diggs’ potential arrival immediately expands what San Francisco can do defensively, especially in high-stakes matchups where coverage flexibility decides games. From a tactical standpoint, the fit is obvious. With the 49ers’ front consistently collapsing pockets and forcing rushed decisions, Diggs wouldn’t be asked to carry the defense. Instead, he’d be unleashed — press-man assignments on elite receivers, aggressive zone reads that punish late throws, and the freedom to gamble when quarterbacks feel pressure to force plays. In that environment, Diggs’ risk-reward profile shifts decisively toward reward. The league context only sharpens the contrast. Dallas is already thinking about resets, contracts, and offseason questions. San Francisco is preparing for January. At this stage of the calendar, elite players aren’t searching for comfort — they’re searching for relevance on the biggest stage. In the span of an hour, Trevon Diggs didn’t lose his footing. He changed his trajectory. From a team watching the playoffs to one built to shape them, the message was unmistakable. In the NFL, timing is everything — and sometimes, the fastest decisions speak the loudest. And this one spoke volumes.