It hasn’t been an easy season for the Dallas Cowboys, but CeeDee Lamb’s love for the game has kept him going.
Lamb, one of Mike McCarthy’s go-to pass catchers, has stitched his fourth straight 1,000+ receiving yards season. This season, he has caught 101 receptions for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns so far.
However, one of the reasons he hasn’t caught enough red-zone passes is because Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is done for the season due to a hamstring injury, and without their $60 million QB, Dallas has struggled relatively on offense with Cooper Rush leading them.
CeeDee Lamb Opens Up on Playing Through Injuries for Sheer Love of the Game
In an honest interview, the quotes of which were shared by The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Lamb revealed his shoulder has been bad.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb: "My shoulder is outta whack, I'm not gonna even lie to you. I'm just out there battling and doing what I do. It's not fun."
What is the biggest reason he keeps playing through it?
"I love this game that much. I'm literally willing to put my body out…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 23, 2024
“My shoulder is outta whack, I’m not going to even lie to you. I’m just out there battling and doing what I do. It’s not fun,” Lamb said.
However, Lamb’s love for football draws enough inspiration for him to still take to the gridiron every day.
“I love this game that much. I’m literally willing to put my body out there on the line for my guys,” Lamb added.
Lamb Says Money Is Incentive but Isn’t Real Motivation To Play
Earlier this season, the Cowboys inked Lamb to a four-year, $136 million contract, including a $38 million signing bonus, $100 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $34 million.
While there’s no question that money is a big motivator, several have questioned Lamb’s love for the game, who missed all of training camp in California and even skipped mandatory minicamp in the offseason.
However, Lamb pushed back on that narrative, saying:
“I feel like now I’ve kind of gone way past the narrative of the money situation. I do it for the money, of course, but it’s way more than that. … I’m living my dream. For anyone that’s thinking that I’m (only) playing for the money is kind of insane,” Lamb said.
Amid a tough season, Lamb’s continuous production — especially in the 26-24 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football in Week 16 — has helped the Cowboys reach near .500 (7-8). Dallas’ playoff hopes may no longer exist, but that won’t stop Lamb from producing until the season is over.
