Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb’s sizable contribution to Saturday’s game could have been even larger if he had successfully held onto the ball when he was within the close proximity of the 1-yard line.
However, rather than making the touchdown, Lamb fumbled, leading to much debate about one of the NFL’s most controversial rules.
As Lamb caught the pass and was within spitting distance of the end-zone, the ball came loose from his hold.
It crossed the goal line, went out of bounds, and subsequently turned over to the Detroit Lions.
According to this NFL rule, when an offensive player fumbles the ball into the end zone and it goes out of bounds, ownership of the ball is given to the opposing team.
This rule has been the topic of intense debates and discussions among fans, players, and analysts alike.
There has been substantial talk during this offseason about the possibility of altering this rule to favor the offensive team in such scenarios.
Contrary to many, however, CeeDee Lamb has a rather unconventional take on this rule. The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver does not advocate for the alteration of this rule.
In his opinion, it is up to the player spotting the offensive to not lose grip over the ball. He states emphatically, “The rule doesn’t need to be changed, I need to hold on.”
“Nah, they need to leave it as that,” Lamb said after the game. “At that point, you need to hold onto the ball if you really want to score. Obviously, for myself, I need to do the same thing. Finishing the play, finishing the drive for the team. I mean, that’s what we’ve got to do. Physicality on the boundary.”
CeeDee Lamb on fumble into end zone: Rule doesn't need to be changed, I need to hold on. https://t.co/xFF8aunL8O
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 31, 2023
The incident caused Lamb to feel an additional surge of motivation for the remainder of the game. Despite the initial setback, he rallied to atone for that blunder.
“I hate fumbling, but obviously, that’s part of the game when you’re trying to make a play. Shout out to the defense again, they came up and stepped up big,” Lamb said.
Lamb came through in a big way, proving to be critical in Dallas Cowboys’ victory in what was an absolute roller-coaster of a game.
