Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, died at 24 in an apparent suicide following a police chase in Frisco, Texas. The player, who had just scored his first NFL touchdown, left a brief but impactful legacy with the team. His girlfriend alerted police due to mental health issues and possession of a weapon.
Marshawn Kneeland was a professional American football player who joined the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL after being selected in the 2024 draft. Prior to that, he played five seasons at Western Michigan University under coach Lance Taylor, who described him as 'more than an incredible football player; he was an extraordinary young man who meant a lot to our program and to me personally'.
Kneeland debuted as a defensive end with the Cowboys, though his rookie season was hampered by a knee injury that sidelined him for five games. In the 2025 season, he recorded his first sack against the Philadelphia Eagles in the opener. Despite missing two games due to an ankle injury, he scored his first defensive touchdown on November 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals by recovering a fumble in the end zone, though the team lost 17-27.
His stats over two seasons with the Cowboys include 26 tackles, one quarterback sack, one fumble recovery, one pass defended, and one defensive score. He always played wearing a locket containing his mother's ashes, as she passed away during the draft when he was selected.
On Thursday, the Cowboys issued a statement: 'With profound sadness, the Dallas Cowboys inform that Marshawn Kneeland passed away tragically this morning. Marshawn was a teammate and beloved member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family'.
The death followed a police chase in Frisco, Texas, after Kneeland failed to stop for officers. His girlfriend Catalina called police upon noticing he had a gun and had left goodbye messages amid mental health struggles. The vehicle crashed, and Kneeland was found dead in a portable bathroom with a head gunshot wound, investigated as a possible suicide.