Following his selection in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, newest Dallas Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb stated that he wanted to wear No. 10 as a professional. After sporting both No. 9 and most recently No. 2 as a member of the Oklahoma Sooners, Lamb was prepared to sport the jersey number of the player he is most often compared to, DeAndre Hopkins, who sported it during his tenure with the Houston Texans.
Jerry Jones, however, wanted to dip Lamb in the anointing oil that is held sacred to Cowboys history. Jones suggested following the draft that he’d like Lamb to don the famous No. 88, reserved for those receiving torch bearers who are supposed to carry on the tradiion of the franchise. It appears Jones, despite not being able to have an in-person meeting with Lamb to spin one of his infamous sell jobs, must have been convincing over the phone or Zoom. Lamb jerseys are hitting the market, and they are in line with Dallas tradition.
So, CeeDee Lamb really is going to wear #88 for the #Cowboys, it appears. pic.twitter.com/0xFf2n0RaL
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) April 30, 2020
The Cowboys announced jersey numbers for five of their seven picks earlier in the week, but Lamb was conspicuously absent from the list as things were still up in the air.
88 is the jersey number of the chosen one; the wide receiver anointed as the franchise cross bearer. Drew Pearson was the original 88 and is in the Ring of Honor. That legacy was turned over to Michael Irvin who forged a Hall of Fame career while wearing it.
During a down time for the franchise the club tried to put it on second-round pick Antonio Bryant, but he was just getting the printing press ready for the last first-round receiver Dallas drafted before this year, Dez Bryant. Bryant is the club’s all-time touchdown reception leader.
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