FRISCO, Texas — Michael Trigg practiced Wednesday night at The Star for the first time since he hurt his toe, four days before the Dallas Cowboys have to reach 53 players. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said the rookie tight end would “work back in, get a little bit of work.”
Trigg was out of the Aug. 20 practice in Oxnard, California, the last of training camp there. He missed the Aug. 22 game at Arizona and sat out Tuesday night’s session at The Star.
Michael Trigg’s Preseason Opener at Seattle
Trigg hurt the toe in the preseason opener at Seattle on Aug. 15. He caught 4 of 5 targets for 30 yards in that game, a 17-7 Dallas win, and played 32 offensive snaps. Those were the only preseason snaps he has taken.
Dallas is five deep at tight end after Princeton Fant suffered a season-ending injury earlier in camp. Jake Ferguson and Brevyn Spann-Ford open the season as the top two. Trigg is competing with Luke Schoonmaker and fellow undrafted rookie DJ Rogers for what is left.
Schoonmaker was a second-round pick in 2023. He played 391 offensive snaps last season, 32.97% of the team’s total, and 241 on special teams. Rogers has a knee injury and did not practice Wednesday.
How Michael Trigg Got to Dallas
Dallas signed Trigg after the 2026 draft. His contract included $200,000 guaranteed, according to Spotrac, which put him near the top of this year’s undrafted class.
Trigg played four games at USC as a freshman in 2021. He caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. Ole Miss came next, for 2022 and part of 2023, and he left that team in September. Baylor took him for 2024. He caught 30 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns that season and was a second-team All-Big 12 selection.
The 2025 season was his best. Trigg caught 50 passes for 694 yards and six touchdowns, started the first 11 games, and missed the finale with an injury. He was a first-team All-Big 12 selection and a finalist for the John Mackey Award. His 155 yards against Kansas State on Oct. 4 set a Baylor single-game record for a tight end.
Dallas closes the preseason against New Orleans on Friday at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium, on CBS locally. Trigg has until 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Aug. 30, when rosters have to be at 53 players.
The Cowboys open the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, at the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
