GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Trevon Diggs couldn’t have imagined a couple of weeks ago that he’d have a chance to make an impact in the playoffs.
The 27-year-old cornerback finds himself in this improbable position after the Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) claimed him off waivers from the Dallas Cowboys last week.
Diggs performed capably while playing nearly half of Green Bay’s defensive snaps in its regular-season finale Sunday. Packers coach Matt LaFleur didn't rule out the possibility of starting him in their Saturday night wild-card matchup at Chicago (11-6).
“It’s a blessing,” Diggs said. “It’s hard to win in this league and it’s hard to go to the playoffs, so just being here, being able to go to the playoffs, it’s been truly a blessing and I’m truly thankful.”
This unexpected opportunity gives the 2021 All-Pro a chance to rejuvenate a career that had gone downhill. Diggs’ presence also could help a Packers defense that has struggled ever since Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons tore his anterior cruciate ligament during a 34-26 loss at Denver that started the four-game skid to end Green Bay’s regular season.
Although Diggs didn’t have his first practice with his new team until Jan. 1, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said this week that their new cornerback has been a quick enough study that they wouldn’t have to limit anything they do defensively if he’s on the field.
Hafley noted that safeties Xavier McKinney, Javon Bullard and Evan Williams could communicate anything Diggs might need to know.
“It’s cool to see the last couple of days how he’s integrated with our players, how he’s been in meetings,” Hafley said. “Overall I just think he has more confidence right now in our scheme, so I’d be very comfortable to play him.”
Diggs savors whatever responsibilities he might have Saturday.
“I’m very comfortable,” he said. “I’m ready for whatever.”
Diggs’ change of address represented the latest chapter in a turbulent 2025 season.
He sustained a concussion in an accident at home on Oct. 16. Two months later, Diggs explained to reporters that he got hit in the head by a mounting pole while trying to install a TV.
Even after Diggs returned from concussion protocol, he remained off the field and ended up missing eight games due to what the Cowboys described as lingering knee issues. Diggs ended up playing just eight games for Dallas this season — six before his concussion and two afterward.
When the Cowboys waived Diggs last week, coach Brian Schottenheimer said it was due to a culmination of issues rather than one incident. It was a humbling finish to a tenure that once had so much promise, as Diggs had an NFL-leading 11 interceptions in 2021 and earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2022.
Going to Green Bay reunited Diggs with some familiar faces. He’s close friends with Parsons and played at Alabama with McKinney. They offered him feedback on what it would take to succeed with his new team.
“Just put your head down and work,” Diggs recalled them saying. “Everything’s going to fall where it’s supposed to fall. You just have to focus on football here, and that’s awesome. So, that’s the main advice that they gave me.”
Diggs’ Packers debut was encouraging.
With the Packers resting most of their starters in a 16-3 loss at Minnesota, Pro Football Focus gave Diggs an 81.5 game rating that led the team. He had scored above 61.7 in just two of his eight games with Dallas this season — the opener at Philadelphia (70.2) and a 40-all tie with Green Bay (83.3).
“We’re excited to have him on the team,” Bullard said. “We know the type of player he is. People don’t understand that dude is All-Pro. You can’t take that away from him.”
Diggs hasn't played at that All-Pro level for some time now, but his performance Sunday at least showed he can help out a Green Bay secondary that needs some reinforcements as it attempts to make a long playoff run.
He's ready to step up to that challenge.
“It feels natural,” Diggs said. “It feels normal. It just feels like a great fit. It’s been great. I’m just happy to be here."
NOTE: The Packers announced Friday that WR Dontayvion Wicks has been ruled out for Saturday's game due to a concussion. Wicks had been listed as questionable on the Packers' Thursday injury report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) runs from Green Bay Packers cornerback Trevon Diggs (28) after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) is tackled by Green Bay Packers safety Evan Williams (33) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (28) after catching a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Green Bay (9-7-1) at Chicago (11-6)
Saturday, 8 p.m. EST, Amazon Prime Video.
BetMGM NFL odds: Packers by 1.
Against the spread: Packers 6-10-1; Bears 9-7-1.
Series record: Packers lead 109-97-6.
Last meeting: Bears beat Packers 22-16 in OT at Chicago on Dec. 20
Last week: Packers lost at Minnesota 16-3; Bears lost to Detroit 19-16.
Packers offense: overall (15), rush (15), pass (17), scoring (16)
Packers defense: overall (12), rush (18), pass (11), scoring (11)
Bears offense: overall (6), rush (3), pass (10), scoring (9)
Bears defense: overall (29), overall (27), pass (22), scoring (23)
Turnover differential: Packers plus-1; Bears plus-22.
QB Jordan Love: He hasn’t played in a game since a helmet-to-helmet hit from Chicago’s Austin Booker in the second quarter of the Dec. 20 Packers-Bears game sent him into concussion protocol. Love was cleared before Green Bay’s regular-season finale, but the Packers opted to rest him for the playoffs. Love has nine touchdown passes and only two interceptions in six games against the Bears.
QB Caleb Williams. The Bears envisioned deep playoff runs on a regular basis when they drafted Williams with the No. 1 overall pick last year. They hope this is just the start. Williams threw for a franchise-record 3,942 yards with 27 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Though his completion percentage ranked last among qualifying leaders, he became more and more comfortable in coach Ben Johnson's system.
Chicago's running backs against Green Bay's defensive line. Though the Bears' run game emerged as one of the best this season behind a retooled line, it was hard to tell against Detroit. Chicago managed just 65 yards rushing, with D'Andre Swift held to 40 yards on 10 attempts and rookie Kyle Monangai finishing with 14 yards on six carries. With Swift running for 1,087 yards and Monangai adding 783, the Bears were the only team with two 750-yard rushers. Green Bay struggled to stop the run in recent weeks, with Devonte Wyatt (ankle) and then Micah Parsons (knee) suffering season-ending injuries. The Packers gave up 150 yards rushing to the Bears in their most recent meeting and then allowed Derrick Henry to run for 216 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-24 loss to Baltimore.
Packers: WR/CB Bo Melton (knee), CB Kamal Hadden (ankle), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), DL Jordon Riley (Achilles tendon) and S Zayne Anderson (ankle) have gone on injured reserve since the most recent Packers-Bears game. ... WR Dontayvion Wicks (concussion) has been ruled out for Saturday's game. ... OT Zach Tom (knee) missed the Packers’ last three regular-season games and is questionable for Saturday. Also questionable are DL Warren Brinson (foot), S Javon Bullard (knee), LB Nick Niemann (pectoral) and backup QB Malik Willis (shoulder/hamstring).
Bears: WR Rome Odunze (foot) expects to play after missing the final five regular-season games. ... CB Kyler Gordon (groin) is questionable as he attempts to return after being sidelined since Week 13. He has been limited to three games because of hamstring and groin injuries. ... CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson, LB Amen Ogbongbemiga and DL Joe Tryon-Shoyinka have been ruled out because of concussions. ... OL Braxton Jones (knee) is questionable.
The Packers are 30-7 against the Bears counting the playoffs since the start of the 2008 season, with the past four games coming down to the wire. In 2024, both came down to field-goal attempts by Chicago's Cairo Santos on the final play — one that got blocked and one that was successful. This season, Green Bay hung on to win 28-21 in Week 14 at Lambeau Field when Keisean Nixon intercepted Williams in the end zone with 22 seconds remaining. Chicago returned the favor two weeks later, rallying from 10 down in the final two minutes of regulation before Williams threw a 46-yard touchdown to DJ Moore in overtime. This is the third playoff game between the longtime rivals — all in Chicago. The Bears won a Western Division playoff game over the Packers 33-14 at Wrigley Field on Dec. 14, 1941. The Packers beat the Bears 21-14 in an NFC championship game at Soldier Field on Jan. 23, 2011.
The Packers have the NFC’s No. 7 playoff seed for the third straight year. They reached the divisional round in 2023 and lost 22-10 at Philadelphia in the wild-card round last season. … The Packers dropped their final four regular-season games. … They’re the fourth team to enter the playoffs after losing at least four straight games to end the regular season. The others were the 1986 New York Jets, 1999 Detroit Lions and 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers. The only team in that group to win a playoff game was the 1986 Jets, who beat Kansas City in the wild-card round before losing to Cleveland in overtime in the divisional round. … Packers DL Rashan Gary had 7 ½ sacks in Green Bay’s first seven games but doesn’t have any since. … Packers RB Josh Jacobs had 13 touchdown runs this season, putting him in a tie for fourth place in the league. Jacobs didn’t play against the Vikings and had just 39 yards rushing on 16 carries over his final two regular-season games as he dealt with a knee issue. … The Bears won the NFC North for the first time since 2018 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. They have lost three straight postseason games since the 2010 team beat Seattle in a divisional game at Soldier Field. ... The Bears dropped their final two regular-season games, losing to Detroit on a last-second field goal after coming up short in a 42-38 shootout at San Francisco. They gave up 433 yards against the Lions after the 49ers went off for 496. ... If Chicago beats Green Bay, Ben Johnson would become the franchise's first coach to win a playoff game in their first season. ... The Bears led the league in interceptions (23), takeaways (33) and turnover differential (plus-22) while committing a league-low 11 turnovers. ... Chicago won six games after trailing in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. ... With seven interceptions, S Kevin Byard led the league for the second time in his 10 seasons.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) runs from Detroit Lions linebacker al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
