Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admits he forced CeeDee Lamb to wear legacy No. 88
With no numbers on jerseys and little video of actual plays, the broadcast of the Dallas Cowboys practice Sunday night on KTXA Channel 21 turned into story time with Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin and six-time Pro Bowl guard Nate Newton in the booth with veteran broadcaster Bill Jones.
The banter included an elongated interview with owner Jerry Jones as he revealed the truth behind CeeDee Lamb’s decision to wear the Cowboys’ legacy No. 88 jersey after he initially resisted because he wanted to sport another number.
Jones admitted that he exhorted his leverage as the boss and made the decision for Lamb.
“There was a little push back early,” Jones said. “Well, I was reminded there doesn’t need to be any push back, just say that’s what’s going to happen. He’s going to wear 88.”
Irvin and Newton began laughing.
And Irvin recalled a conversation he had with Lamb about his resistance to wearing No. 88.
“I told him, ‘I hear what you are talking about but when you walk in that room with that fella ... you are going to meet with Jerry Jones. ... Let me just tell you, he is very convincing”,” Irvin said with a laugh.
Lamb has embraced the number ever since. He has been one of the most impressive performers in training camp.
“He is coming in with an edge with that 88 on,” Jones told Irvin. “If he gets close. If he comes within any distance of you in 88 then he is going to have him a Hall of Fame career.”
Jones also revealed during the interview that the Cowboys had their eyes on LSU defensive end K’lavon Chaisson with the 17th pick if Lamb hadn’t fallen to them. Chaisson went to the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 20th pick.
This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 2:39 PM.
