FRISCO, Texas — CeeDee Lamb said Thursday that Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker checking on rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham during their viral sideline exchange is what the team needs.
The clip, which spread on social media Wednesday, shows Barham in tears as Parker tries to calm him during the 28-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sept. 13. Barham walks away and is later joined by linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Everybody needs a minute to gather their thoughts before anything is said, in Lamb’s view.
“As a player and what we do for a living, obviously you see it,” Lamb said, “when you, when you, when you put your all into this game and then you still kind of feel like you’re coming up short as far as doing your job or you miss an assignment or something’s just not falling your way. You kind of OD tough on yourself. You feel what I’m saying?”
“And having CP, I saw it, just checking in on him, checking on his mental, making sure he straight,” Lamb continued. “Obviously everybody got to take a minute to gather their thoughts before anything is even said. But like for him to even check on him, knowing that he was going through a tough time at that moment, like, I mean, it’s good to see. That’s what we need. You feel what I’m saying? So he can go back out there and do what he do. But in that moment, just being able to listen too, though. You feel what I’m saying? I feel like that was a good thing.”
CeeDee Lamb On Controlling Emotions On The Sideline
Lamb did not have a set message ready for Barham. When his own emotions flare during a game, he paces the sideline and then goes back to sit by his coach.
“Well, to be honest, I don’t know, because I feel like at this point, eyes are on the sideline just as well as it is when you are, like, eyes are on you on the sideline just as much as they are on the field,” Lamb explained. “You feel what I’m saying? But with all the emotion and everything involved, I feel like energy just be flaring. You feel what I’m saying? You can’t, sometimes you can control it. Sometimes you can’t. You gotta have moments where you gotta calm yourself down.”
“Like, like for me, as we all know, I go, I walk, I walk, I walk around,” Lamb added. “Like I just go get to pacing and start thinking, calm down, go back and sit back by my coach. Like I just need time to think, recoup, get back to where I am. You feel what I’m saying? Cause at some moment you’re going to have bad thoughts throughout the game, regardless if you win, losing or drawing, especially if it’s in a big game. Feel what I’m saying? So just staying, just keeping the main thing the main thing. Energy is going to be energy regardless. Everybody’s entitled to it, but just making sure that it don’t overflow in a negative way.”
Jaishawn Barham In Line For Bigger Role Against Washington Commanders
Parker addressed the clip at his own availability Thursday. “We don’t have any reservations about his mentality,” Parker said. “We welcome that passion.”
Overshown strained his hamstring in the second half against New York, and Barham replaced him. The third-round pick is in line to start at middle linebacker Sunday.
Lamb caught 5 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown in the opener. The Cowboys host the Washington Commanders in their home opener Sunday at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. CT on Fox.
