WATCH: Cowboys star penalized for bizarre sideline collision; referee explains
It’s the preseason for everybody, apparently.
In the exhibition opener for the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at SoFi Stadium against the Los Angeles Rams, star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was never going to play, but his impact was felt in the first half, figuratively and literally.
While walking on the sideline, Lamb watched with his hands in the air as quarterback Joe Milton III threw a deep ball to wide receiver Jonathan Mingo with his back to an oncoming official. The official, not seeing Lamb in front of him, ran into the Cowboys receiver’s back at full speed, sending both tumbling to the ground.
Lamb was penalized for “a foul on an official,” which offset a defensive pass interference call on the throw to Mingo. The veteran receiver popped up after the hit and shared a laugh with his teammates on the sideline. The official, Anthony Jeffries, was also not injured and remained in the game.
“It’s a sideline interference,” referee Alex Moore said after the game. “CeeDee Lamb was standing in the restricted white border area, which is our area to officiate the game. The official on the play was focused solely on doing his job and he ran into CeeDee Lamb, who was standing in that restricted area.”
The Cowboys would end up scoring their first points of the preseason on that drive courtesy of a 35-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal to cut their first-half deficit to 14-3. According to the officials, the Cowboys were understanding of the call.
“It’s something that everybody is aware of,” Moore said. “That white area is our area to work safely. ... It’s more of a rare situation. Normally, we don’t have anybody standing that deep into the restricted area, or that type of forceful contact.”
Lamb is one of many starters not expected to play in the preseason, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer resorts to a physical training camp in nearby Oxnard, California, to prepare his veterans for the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4.
This story was originally published August 9, 2025 at 7:46 PM.
