A 10 p.m. curfew in Las Vegas. Two of the NFL’s brightest receivers. One head coach who refuses to let stardom override accountability. When CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens took the sideline for Monday night’s Dallas Cowboys–Las Vegas Raiders matchup, they weren’t injured; they were benched as punishment, and it sent shockwaves through a league that rarely sees star talent disciplined so publicly. In a recent interview about the aftermath of that Vegas incident, Brian Schottenheimer expressed himself.

“I don’t change who I am. I mean, it’s like when I discipline my kids, you know, they don’t want to talk to me for a while, but then after a while, I’m like, ‘Come on now, hey, Dad’s being Dad,’ like, you know, and I mean, I’m very approachable, and I don’t shy away from them,” Schottenheimer said.

He continued, detailing his core philosophy: “I love these guys, I really do. I love these guys, and just because they do something that I believe is wrong and that doesn’t fit with what we’re trying to build, I’m gonna hold them accountable, and once it happens, I move right on, and it doesn’t mean I don’t love them. I still love them, you know.”

Wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were benched for the opening series of the Dallas Cowboys’ 33–16 Monday night win over the Las Vegas Raiders after a night out in Las Vegas. As per ESPN, CeeDee Lamb explained that he and Pickens had dinner and drinks at Red Rock Casino the night before the game, staying out past the Cowboys’ 10 p.m. PT curfew ahead of a 5:15 p.m. PT kickoff, which led to disciplinary action for him and contributed to both starting the game on the bench.

Both receivers entered on the second possession, and each scored, as Lamb finished with five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown while Pickens matched his career high with nine receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown in the victory. The HC wanted to set an example with these 2 players on how crucial discipline is, and this also emphasizes that he is preparing them for a bigger future too.

Lamb’s extension and Pickens’ contract year keep both tied to Brian Schottenheimer’s vision

Lamb locks in as a long-term pillar in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense after agreeing to a four-year, 136 million dollar deal with the Cowboys in 2024, a contract that includes 100 million dollars guaranteed and makes him one of the highest-paid non‑quarterbacks in NFL history.

George Pickens plays from a rookie contract position but still stays firmly in Schottenheimer’s plans, with Dallas inheriting the final year of his rookie deal at a 3.65 million dollar salary after trading for him from Pittsburgh. ESPN notes that Schottenheimer has already gone on record saying he wants Pickens “to remain with the Cowboys.’

The current status of these two players shows that even after a high‑profile discipline moment in Las Vegas, the head coach continues to tie both receivers’ futures to his system and to the culture he is trying to build in Dallas.

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