Last Thanksgiving, Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb took a hard hit he won’t forget anytime soon. New York Giants’ cornerback Dru Phillips tackled Lamb without the ball, re-aggravating a nagging right shoulder injury Lamb had first sustained back in Week 9 against the Falcons. The hit was anything but clean. Lamb rolled over in pain and didn’t return to the game. The injury ended up sidelining the WR after Week 16, forcing him off the field for the remainder of the season. “My shoulder is out of whack. I’m not even gonna lie to you,” he admitted after the week 16 game.

Fast forward to 2025, and CeeDee Lamb is staring down the Giants again. Asked about the matchup, Lamb didn’t hold back. “He tackled me and hurt me, so I’ve got something for him,” he said. Clear as day, Lamb’s coming for payback. But Phillips, fresh off practice, wasn’t interested in any kind of fuss. “It don’t change sh*t,” Phillips shrugged. “It don’t change nothing about my preparation or how I’m going to the game. It’s just football, man. It happens.” The CB explained it was a pick play collision where Lamb just unfortunately got hurt. “It’s fun. Good matchup. Look forward to these types of things, so it’ll be fun.”

CeeDee Lamb’s frustration isn’t just about last year’s injury, though. His 2025 season started rough. Against the Eagles in Week 1, he was solid with 110 yards on seven catches but fumbled away four costly drops, a career high. And those contributed heavily to the Cowboys losing 24-20. Lamb’s accountability showed through: “Man, that was terrible. I can’t point fingers at anybody else. I take full accountability and everything else that comes with that.” For a true competitor like Lamb, mistakes like that sting deep.

But Dak Prescott isn’t fazed by the errors and fully backs his star receiver to bounce back. “Yeah, CeeDee is a true pro,” Prescott said. “Started off right, with him after that game, taking accountability, whether it was in the locker room with the players or whether it’s to you guys at the media. But not only just saying it. But coming in that next day. We all heard he was on the jugs, just getting his reps.” Prescott’s message was clear: he ain’t going to stop throwing the ball to Lamb. All this just adds fuel to Lamb’s fire, motivating him even more to come back stronger and prove the doubters wrong.

CeeDee Lamb’s mindset revealed

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer offered some insight into Lamb’s mindset. “This is gonna motivate him more than anything, not that he needs motivation,” Brian said. “He kinda told me, ‘Hey, all that did, bro, is wake up a monster.’ The fans should be looking for the ball to get to CeeDee early in every game.” Pretty clear: the coaching staff believes in Lamb’s bounce-back ability.

Lamb himself isn’t hiding from his mistakes. “I didn’t get any rest, really, that whole weekend,” he said after the rough Week 1. His competitive fire is burning brighter than ever, fueled not just by the drops but by his love for the game and his team. “I love this squad, and I love the guys that I do it with. As for me, just holding my end of the bargain and just pulling through for the guys,” he said.

The Cowboys are desperate for a win, and Lamb is hungry for revenge and redemption. The showdown with the Giants promises not only NFC East points but a personal grudge match. Phillips may be cool on the surface, but there’s no denying the tension simmering just below. This Sunday won’t just be about football. It’ll be about settling scores.