The Dallas Cowboys made the decision recently to sit All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for the final two games of the regular season because of a shoulder injury.
With the team eliminated from playoff contention, the move makes all the sense in the world.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy recently explained the decision to end Lamb’s season.
“When they had the scans and the examination, it was just clearly worse than it’s been. The risk is too high to play this week. … It’s important for him to shut it down and start rehabbing,” McCarthy said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on @1053thefan on WR CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) being out the final two games of the season: "When they had the scans and examination it was just clearly worse than it's been. The risk is too high to play this week. Even if we were in Week 3, this would…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 27, 2024
With nothing significant to play for, why put arguably your best player out there and risk further injury?
Lamb has been one of the game’s best receivers since the Cowboys selected him in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Despite not playing a full season, Lamb found a way, with multiple quarterbacks, to record more than 100 receptions and 1,100 receiving yards for a third consecutive year.
He also was targeted more than 150 times for the third straight season.
Just 25 years old, he has most of his career ahead of him.
The Cowboys are ending the season on a high note as they have won four of their past five games.
The final two games on their schedule are against the rival Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, who are both likely headed to the playoffs.
If Dallas were to win both games, it would finish with a surprising record of 9-8 and possibly save McCarthy’s job in the process.
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