FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys‘ injury-plagued 2024 season took another turn on Thursday with the team announcing they are shutting down All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for the team’s final two games. His AC joint sprain in the right shoulder continued to devolve to the point to where it wasn’t worth the risk to have him out on the field given Dallas (7-8) is eliminated from postseason contention. 

Lamb’s teammates marveled at his toughness and will to power through an injury that bothered the wideout so much Lamb said he was seriously focused on “keeping my shoulder attached to my body.”

“I know his shoulder has been bothering him, but I think for CeeDee (what) was so impressive — and he might be the best player that I’ve seen with my own eyes — is that man … he just loves the game of football,” Cowboys three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons said Thursday. “I don’t think anyone should ever question how much CeeDee brings to the team, or his factor. He’s QB proof.”

Lamb registered 935 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns on 74 receptions as a rookie in 2020 when Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury before ripping off 1,000 or more yards receiving in each of his last four NFL seasons. He led the entire league with 135 receptions while ranking second in receiving yards (1,749) in 2023, which led to him earning first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career. His 496 career receptions are the second most through a player’s first five seasons in NFL history, just 14 behind former New Orleans Saints Pro Bowler Michael Thomas‘ record of 510 set in the 2016 through 2020 seasons. 

“I’ve seen him get 1,000 [receiving yards] with Andy Dalton [in 2020],” Parsons said. “I’ve seen him get 1,000 with Dak Prescott [from 2021-2023]. I’ve seen him get 1,000 with Cooper Rush [in 2024]. At one point, you give grace to all these other wide receivers and say ‘Oh, they’re not producing because they don’t got their quarterback.’ But CeeDee has shown time and time again that he can do it with anyone throwing him the rock. He can find a way to get open. He’s competitive. He’s a dog … when it comes to what he’s going fight through, man, I just don’t think he’s comparable. That’s why I think he’s the best.”

Cowboys fill-in starting quarterback Cooper Rush was asked on Thursday what he would miss the most if Lamb were to be out for the team’s final two regular season games. “Obviously his production,” Rush said. He called Lamb “a warrior” after his Week 17 performance against Tampa Bay in which Lamb caught seven passes for 105 yards receiving.

“He’s a warrior,” Rush said of Lamb postgame on Sunday night. “That guy is as tough as they come. He’s out there, moving him around, throwing it to him or handing it to him. It felt real good to get him down the field tonight. He’s been doing a lot of shorter stuff, throwing screens, yards after catch and tonight he showed what he can do down the field, too.”

During the end of the first half of that game, Lamb landed hard on his shoulder, which left him officially questionable to return. Almost right after the announcement was made, Lamb returned to action, and he caught a 10-yard pass that came up just an inch short of a touchdown. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott bulldozed into the end zone to give Dallas a 20-7 lead on the very next play with under two minutes left in the second quarter. 

“I really scored,” Lamb said postgame Sunday night with a smile. “But yeah, my shoulder is out of whack. Bro, I’m not even going to even lie to you. I’m just out there battling and doing what I do. Yeah, bro, it’s not fun.”  

Dallas is now without the following Week 1 starters: quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring tear), wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (AC joint sprain in shoulder), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee) and cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee). 

Earlier on Thursday, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy made it clear no player would be forced to suit up the final two games of the season if they weren’t healthy, and that’s clearly the case given the announcement about Lamb. Dallas has two games remaining in their 2024 season at the Philadelphia Eagles (12-3) in Week 17 and home versus the Washington Commanders  (10-5) in Week 18. 

“There’s a lot that goes into this, but the players are not forced to play,” McCarthy said on Thursday. “That’s why you have the return to practice group, the rehab group, so there’s a process. There’s protocols in place to ensure that because I think it’s even been heightened even more with the 17-game season and so forth. That part hasn’t changed because of our record. We’ll go through the week, and the 48 players we feel give us the best chance to win the game that are healthy, will play.”