Cowboys Star Drops Out of Offseason Showcase Due to Injury

CeeDee Lamb has established himself as one of the best receivers in the NFL and did everything he could to help the Dallas Cowboys last season.

Lamb earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection in 2024 after catching 101 passes for 1,194 yards and six touchdowns. While the Cowboys finished with a 7-10 record and missed the playoffs, Lamb’s season was more impressive considering that Dak Prescott missed most of the year with a hamstring injury and he battled through shoulder issues that forced him to miss the final two games.

While that adversity makes Lamb’s Pro Bowl selection the most impressive of his career, fans hoping to see him in the game will be disappointed.

CeeDee Lamb’s Shoulder Injury Made Latest Pro Bowl Season Even More Impressive

ESPN’s Jenna Laine reported on Monday that Lamb has been replaced by Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Mike Evans in the annual showcase as he continues to recover from his injuries this offseason.

Many would have understood if Lamb didn’t have the season that fans have come to expect, catching passes from Cooper Rush for the majority of the year. But while Lamb’s season had its ups and downs, he still had a level of production that most NFL receivers would be jealous of.

But Lamb’s season was even more impressive considering the severe nature of his shoulder injury. Lamb caught seven passes for 105 yards during a Week 16 win over Evans and the Buccaneers but admitted after the game that his biggest concern was keeping the shoulder “attached to my body.” 

With the Cowboys eliminated from playoff contention, the decision was made to shut Lamb down for the final two games of the season and former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy explained how devastated the 25-year-old was not to be able to finish the year.

"Just visiting with CeeDee today, he’s crushed he’s not playing his last two games, and he just shows you the kind of competitor that he is,” McCarthy said via CBS Sports’s Garrett Podell. “We all know what he means to our team and especially what he means to our offense. But this is the right decision for him, and this is the right decision for the Dallas Cowboys.”

The Pro Bowl isn’t the same spectacle that it was a few years ago as it has turned into a competition-based showcase that is highlighted by a flag football game. But Lamb’s health is a bigger priority for the Cowboys with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer taking over in 2025.

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