The Dallas Cowboys showed up on Monday night with a big mission: to honor their late teammate Marshawn Kneeland. They backed it up with a dominating 33-16 win against the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, as they gear up for a Week 12 clash against the Philadelphia Eagles, there’s a new update. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has revealed that a wide receiver who hasn’t played at all this season may get his moment. 

“We have a number of receivers that we’re confident in. Mingo’s a guy that we’re really excited about, we want to see him play.”

Brian Schottenheimer revealed that the coaching staff is open to giving wide receiver Jonathan Mingo a real chance, according to Nick Harris of the Star Telegram. While discussing the lineup, he said that the fight for the final active spot has been intense. Additionally, it’s not just about offense but also special teams.

“My big thing for Jonathan has just been, ‘Hey, can you play all of the spots? Can you do all the different areas?’” He said. 

It seems that Mingo has convinced Schottenheimer of his potential. After all, the coach clearly hinted that there’s a “chance” the team may activate Mingo for the next game. Mingo’s journey in the NFL has not been very smooth, especially this season, when he hasn’t played a single match. The Carolina Panthers drafted him in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft. 

In November 2024, the team shipped him to the Cowboys for a fourth-round pick in 2025. The player showed potential during training camp in Oxnard, but an injury slowed him down, and he never got to wear the Cowboys jersey. So far, Mingo has played 32 games, recording 60 receptions on 127 targets for 585 receiving yards. After not getting picked in Week 11 despite a healthy status, it looks like the chance he’s been waiting for has finally arrived. 

Why did Brian Schottenheimer discipline Pickens and Lamb?

Brian Schottenheimer’s comments come after his surprising decision to keep receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on the bench for the first series on Monday. He just gave a one-line response instead of detailing his disciplinary action. 

“There were some things that were missed, so had a conversation with those guys, and that was easy.”

Meanwhile, Lamb told reporters after the game that he and Pickens had violated the team’s 10 p.m. curfew on Sunday night. The duo was grabbing a meal and some drinks at a Las Vegas casino. Lamb also brushed off social media rumors claiming that he vomited before the game, saying that he knows how to “hold his liquor.”

However, the two players faced the heat for different reasons. The Cowboys’ team executive, Stephen Jones, revealed that they benched Pickens for the first series because he missed the team bus, per 105.3 The Fan. On a bright note, neither player let the setback affect their game against the Raiders.

Pickens delivered one of his best performances of the season with nine catches, 144 receiving yards, and a touchdown. As for Lamb, he recorded five receptions, 66 receiving yards, and a touchdown. Brian Schottenheimer even hugged both receivers on the sideline and praised them after the game.

“You look at the energy those guys play with; they literally jump-started the offense when they got back in,” he said. “They didn’t hang their heads, didn’t do any of that stuff. That’s why I love those guys, man.”