Did Jerry Jones pressure CeeDee Lamb into wearing jersey No. 88?

The Dallas Cowboys are hoping CeeDee Lamb will be the next great wide receiver in a long line of franchise legends, and Jerry Jones has understandably high expectations for the former Oklahoma star. For evidence of that, look no further than the events that led to Lamb wearing jersey No. 88.

Lamb, who wore No. 2 in college, indicated after the draft that he wanted to wear No. 10 with the Cowboys. However, Jones wanted Lamb to wear No. 88. The Cowboys owner indicated as much when he spoke about the team’s decision to draft Lamb. Jones said he wants the rookie to wear No. 88 like Jones’ close friend and former Arkansas teammate Jerry Lamb wore. Jerry died back in December.

“I said in honor of my great friend that just passed (in December), we’re going to have his namesake come on over here and wear old No. 88 just like Michael and Dez and those guys,” Jones said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “And we’ve got us a receiver. Let me tell you one thing: If he’s got the compete and heart of that Jerry Lamb, he’ll be bad to the bone.'”

And so, after saying he wanted to wear No. 10, Lamb will now wear No. 88 like Michael Irvin and Dez Bryant before him.

More on this: #Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said a close friend of his, former Arkansas teammate Jerry Lamb, passed away in December. He wore No. 88 in college.

Jerry said he wants CeeDee Lamb to wear No. 88 with the #Cowboys in his honor. https://t.co/XLQ531IXyL

— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) April 30, 2020

Many will view that as Jones pressuring Lamb to wear No. 88, which may have been the case. On the flip side, Lamb might be honored that Jones asked him to wear the number.

One thing is for sure — Lamb’s newly assigned jersey number would make the return of a certain former Cowboys star a lot more awkward.