“It’s something that everybody is aware of, that white area is our area to work safely,” Referee Alex Moore said of the odd incident that took place on August 9. While some laughed, others were too shocked to respond. Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had wandered off to the white side of the sideline. And before he knew, he took a serious hit as side judge Anthony Jeffries ran into him from the back. Both fell to the ground with force. How did that happen? The WR was in a celebratory mode as he watched his teammates. Luckily, neither was hurt. However, a question arose there: Will the league impose a fine on Lamb for the hit?
At first, officials penalized the Cowboys and Lamb for unsportsmanlike conduct. However, the major concern was about the fines. He was on the sidelines and even in casual clothes. As per the NFL rules, this might have led the player to pay an eye-watering 5-figure fine of $14,491. Adam Schefter just dropped the news that the league probably wouldn’t impose a fine on him.
“NFL determined that Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will not be fined for the penalty and contact he drew last week vs the Rams, per a league official,” he wrote on X. Well, whether a player was in uniform or not, it’s rare to see someone avoid a fine after interfering with an official. But the collision itself was unusual, as Moore said.
NFL determined that Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will not be fined for the penalty and contact he drew last week vs the Rams, per a league official. pic.twitter.com/ZnRaFGSiE4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 16, 2025
The white paint on the sidelines is reserved for the officials during the game. Though they haven’t revealed the reason behind their decision, it could be that they considered it a mistake. Speaking of Lamb and the odd incident in the game against the Rams, Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer said, “I hope the guy’s OK. They said he’s OK, the official that he ran into, but we have to be better than that. CeeDee knows better. We know better.” After getting up, Lamb laughed off this odd situation with his teammates. On the other hand, the Rams were penalized for pass interference on Jonathan Mingo during a deep pass from Joe Milton III.
Later, he reposted the clip of the incident on his IG story with the caption, “I feel like everyone needs a laugh.” Apart from the league’s decision, the bright side is that he avoided an injury, which could have caused even more trouble for the team. He is still recovering from the nasty injury he had last season. The Cowboys’ major concern will be his fitness.
CeeDee Lamb’s road to recovery
The Cowboys have been cautious with Lamb after the shoulder injury he sustained in Week 9 last season. Though his injury limited him at the practice sessions, the WR didn’t miss any games. He was always present for the team. Despite hurting from the injury, he was still performing at his best, completing nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown during a 30-14 win against the Carolina Panthers last season.
In the game, he racked up over 1,000 receiving yards for the season and became the first Cowboy to do so in four of his first five seasons. The only Cowboys player to have such a record is Michael Irvin, who had 1,000-yard seasons for a record of seven. The WR ranks second in NFL history for receptions in a player’s first five seasons, with 489 catches, just behind Michael Thomas, who had 510 with the New Orleans Saints.
Later, the franchise rested the WR for the final two games of the season to recover completely from his injury. “My shoulder is out of whack. I’m not even gonna lie to you. I’m just out there battling and doing what I gotta do,” Lamb then said, admitting his injury had troubled him throughout this time.
Cut to the present, though he has been practicing without any issues this preseason, he watched the Rams game from the sidelines. Moreover, he won’t be showing up for the game against the Baltimore Ravens. The Cowboys definitely are hoping to have Lamb fit before the regular season. He is also keen to return to the gridiron soon.
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