FRISCO, Texas — The moment was a terrifying one for all who watched helplessly as CeeDee Lamb's helmet banged against the turf at Ford Field last week, the Dallas Cowboys' All-Pro wide receiver blacking out for a moment as his fingers locked, similar to what was witnessed on multiple occasions by Tua Tagovailoa, and it was immediately known he suffered a concussion against the Detroit Lions.
He was immediately removed from the contest and ruled out with said concussion, but he's made significant progress toward potentially clearing the league's protocol to take the field in Week 15 against the Minnesota Vikings.
"There's been a lot of work and eye discipline, and trying to frustrate myself, essentially, to see if I have any more residuals of the concussion, and any type of symptoms," said the four-time Pro Bowler. "But as for me, now, it's just been heavy on rest, to be honest. I'm doing everything, meeting all my requirements, getting ahead of everything, and especially with the extra two to three days that we had off — I feel like that was big."
As with most NFL athletes, being removed from the field, and particularly when they're on their way to having a career game, isn't something they take kindly to. Lamb was no different, trying to stick around to help the struggling Cowboys' offense avoid the eventual defeat in the Motor City, but he readily admits the neurologist and training staff saved him from himself in that situation.
And as he reflects on it further, the gravity of that moment settles in, and a cooler, wiser head prevails.
"Obviously, when you have to go to the tent, it was very clear you did not want to leave the game," he said. "Is there also a part of you that's glad that those are in place to protect you from yourself and your future in football? Yeah, absolutely. They're doing their job, and obviously, me as a competitor, I want to do mine.
"But it's times where they do have to protect me from me, and that was the situation to where that was one of them. I felt like I was having a pretty good game. I was just kinda getting started — getting to cooking — and for me to really take myself out .. just putting myself out there, and I feel like, just giving my guys my all.
"… I'm happy for the training staff. I'm happy for everybody that's reached out. I'm happy for really just another opportunity of waking up and doing what I love again."
Lamb made it to the team's charter flight to depart with his teammates, and with no assistance needed, bags or otherwise, then showing up to work out on Monday, and he's since returned to full practice duties — effective Thursday — more great signs that he does have "only one or two" more benchmarks to clear, per head coach Brian Schottenheimer, before being released from the league's concussion protocol.
Loving what he's seeing from Lamb after such a terrifying moment is his quarterback and one of his best friends, Dak Prescott, who also offered up words of praise and encouragement.
"Yeah, zero concern [about Lamb now]," the All-Pro QB said. "Obviously, on the field, you see a guy, whatever they call that, you know when his hands get into that [locked] formation, right? Whether it's your brother, teammate, or somebody on the other team, you don't want to see that. So, yeah, obviously, there is some urgency to get him help right then.
"But then, actually, when I got over there, he was almost like right back to it. I was like, 'You good?' And he's like, 'Yeah.' … I was positive in the way that he would respond, and he's been great."
With only a couple days remaining before the Vikings march onto the field at AT&T Stadium, Lamb is on the right track, and a deep exhale is a justified response by all — a close call that turned out to be nothing more than that.
