Think back to CeeDee Lamb’s rookie days in Dallas—when Amari Cooper wasn’t just a teammate, he was a masterclass waiting to happen. During Lamb’s rookie season, Cooper literally took Lamb’s side: “I’m an open book. I’m going to give him everything that I have, all the knowledge that I have,” he had said, offering tips on subtle route releases and veteran instincts. Lamb soaked it up like a sponge, adoring Cooper’s precision and vibe, setting a tone for what Lamb could become.
One standout scene came to light during the Hard Knocks episode when Lamb asked Cooper: “Do you work half a man… or work a whole man?“, and Cooper responded by slowly breaking down his release, “I like to do it slow,” before exploding off the line. It’s a tiny coaching moment, but it crystallized Lamb’s development, and the results were impressive. Four consecutive 1,000+ yards seasons and a burn in his competitiveness.
Now, picture Lamb swapping his role from an apprentice to a teacher. Besides CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys are entering the 2025 season with George Pickens as the WR 2, with Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin set to complement the receiving corps. And Lamb wants to be a mentor just like Cooper was for him early in his career. “I want to be that guy for these guys,” he said. “I want to see these guys perform and be excellent, be great, be remembered in this league because I mean it don’t last long.”
“So let’s make the most of it and let’s make all these memories together, and then we can look back on these maybe 20 years later and be like ‘Dang, we had a great run.’” A mentor’s rising, and in the Cowboys’ WR room, leadership quietly takes root. Entering the sixth season of his career, you’ll hardly find anyone other than Lamb who’s more confident in what he and his teammates are capable of in 2025, and he just made it clear.
“I like us versus anybody, honestly,” the 26-year-old wideout said. “Versus anyone. Any room. I don’t care what they be saying in the media. I see it, I ignore it. We’ll see ya’ll in September. I don’t really do too much talking. I feel like the league knows what happens when I’m healthy and I have Dak (Prescott) for a whole season. But if you don’t, I will happily show you what it’s gonna be like this year.”
The Cowboys spent almost the whole offseason looking for a wideout to pair with Lamb. They found Pickens in a trade earlier this offseason. And the way things are unfolding, both the wideouts seem to have developed a good chemistry so far. “He’s just an incredible athlete, incredible football player, and his ability to go up and get the ball, you guys haven’t seen it yet, but those days are literally coming,” Lamb said of Pickens.”
Meanwhile, the quarterback, Dak Prescott, is fit to begin his 2025 campaign after going down with a hamstring injury last year. And as CeeDee Lamb put it—when he’s got Dak for a full season, his game speaks loud enough. No need for a sales pitch. Back in the 2023 season, he recorded a career-high, franchise record—135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 scores. Dak was there in that season.
And he’s available for the 2025 season as well. So yeah, Lamb’s not just tossing words around. Meanwhile,it’s just the noise from old drama that keeps knocking, uninvited, at his front door.
It took Stephen Jones a year to address CeeDee Lamb’s holdout
Holding out for a contract? That’s business as usual. Coaches, execs, and even owners weighing in? Also part of the playbook. But revisiting that holdout a whole year later? That’s not in the manual, until now. Because, somehow, and in some way, Stephen Jones flipped back the calendar and did exactly that—bringing old headlines back to life like they never left. All this amidst Micah Parsons‘ contract dispute. The target? CeeDee Lamb.
Nick Eatman on 105.3 The Fan recently discussed his observations from Jones’ recent pressers, who’s well-known for his strategies, extensions, and, yes, for staying quiet and still. But that changed this offseason. “Just from the press conference, that was, you know, that was a little bit unusual,” Eatman observed, addressing Stephen interrupting reporters and pushing back on questions. The question emerged: What could be the reason?
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 18: Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb watches action during game featuring the Houston Texans and the Dallas Cowboys on November 18, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA NOV 18 Texans at Cowboys EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon426241118102
It might be the pressure. The Cowboys had a busy offseason. They had Lamb’s extension last year, and now Parsons is next in line. And that’s when Eatman revealed that Stephen told him that, “We’ve had CeeDee Lamb, uh you know, who weren’t here, and that makes it even more difficult.” The last time we checked, Lamb’s holdout was last year. Stephen’s discussing it now. And Lamb’s holdout made sense. He was coming after recording the best season of his career.
And even after getting paid, he put up numbers in the very season. He showed up in 15 games, caught 101 passes for 1,194 yards, and racked up six scores. But as Eatman pointed out, “Or he’s (Stephen) just getting older and more agitated,” it seems like Stephen’s comments aren’t coming from a place of anger—they’re coming from a place of urgency.
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