Referee explains 'rare' collision with Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb

It's always something with the Dallas Cowboys, even during an overall disappointing performance to begin the preseason.

In Friday's 31-21 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, Cowboys star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb made headlines despite not being active for the game.

In the second quarter with Dallas trailing 14-0, Lamb was accidentally run into from behind by side judge Anthony Jeffries in front of the Dallas bench as he prematurely celebrated what ended up as an incomplete pass from Joe Milton III to Jonathan Mingo.

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The collision certainly looked painful, as Lamb was hit hard on the back before falling to the ground. Fortunately for the Cowboys, he got up and was perfectly fine, but a 15-yard penalty was enforced.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at MetLife Stadium. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the game, referee Alex Moore said on the postgame pool report that Lamb was in the painted white area on the sidelines, a zone designated for officials to run in while live acton is happening.

"It's a sideline interference. CeeDee Lamb was standing in the restricted white border area, which is our area to officiate the game," Moore told Gary Klein of The L.A. Times. "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. That's what happened. And with that contact, it's an automatic foul."

Hardest hit that Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb took tonight was on the sidelines …. and from an official. pic.twitter.com/P2RoVUUyJU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 10, 2025

This isn't the first time that the white painted area has been crossed over by players but it's certainly not every day you see your star receiver get absolutely leveled by a referee for not paying attention.

"It's more of a rare situation," Moore said. "Normally we don't have anybody standing that deep into the restricted area, or that type of forceful contact. So, it is a rare occurrence, but it does happen from time to time."

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Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said postgame that Lamb "knows better" than to stand in the white area.

“I hope the guy’s OK. They said he’s OK, the official that he ran into, but we have to be better than that," Schottenheimer said. "CeeDee knows better. We know better.”

The Cowboys will play their second preseason game Saturday at home against the Baltimore Ravens.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb before a game against the San Francisco 49ers. | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

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