A moment of silence was taken at every NFL stadium last week as the league was rocked by a tragedy. Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was found dead with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 24 on Nov. 6.
Three hours before he apparently took his own life, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Authorities found Kneeland’s car crashed after a chase. Officers began searching for Kneeland when word spread that he was in distress.
Kneeland texted goodbye messages to his family group chat along with his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, who subsequently contacted the police, according to dispatch audio, and told them that he was armed and had a history of mental illness. Kneeland’s body was found in a portable restroom not far from the scene of the crash in Frisco, Texas.
Days before, Kneeland scored his first career touchdown on Monday, Nov. 3, and was in the middle of his second season in the NFL. Kneeland was a second-round pick out of Western Michigan University (WMU), and after missing part of his first NFL season with an injury, he played in seven of the last nine games for the Cowboys, recording one sack, 15 tackles and six quarterback pressures.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cowboys wrote in a statement on Thursday. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
Around the NFL, teams took a moment of silence to honor Kneeland. The NHL’s Dallas Stars also held a moment of silence before their game against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
Former 11-year NFL cornerback Richard Sherman spoke directly to the camera on Thursday Night Football, challenging players to check in on their teammates.
“When you’re playing, you almost feel invincible,” Sherman said. “You feel like, ‘Hey, I cannot be vulnerable in that way because that will be a weakness.’ But you can be vulnerable, you can give yourselves an opportunity to get the help that you need, and still be a great football player. I challenge you guys to go out there and make sure you get the help you need.”
In the wake of Kneeland’s apparent suicide, support for his family and friends has been pouring in from all over. As a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, he attended WMU in 2019, where he recorded 149 tackles, 13 sacks and three forced fumbles in 38 games. On WMU’s senior day, they honored Kneeland by holding his No. 99 jersey and wearing helmet decals that read “MK 99.” His number was also painted on the football field.
During a radio interview with Dallas-Fort Worth station 105.3 The Fan, Jerry Jones, the Cowboys owner, broke his silence about Kneeland’s death and revealed how the Cowboys will honor Kneeland.
“He was very unique in his passion for the game and of course the saddest thing for someone like me is the fact that he was only 24 years old,” Jones said. “You think about all of the time that we’re going to miss him, and he’s going to be missed by the people around him, he was just getting started.”
Jones then discussed how the Cowboys would go about honoring Kneeland in their next game after their bye week. The Cowboys will wear a special decal on their helmets for the remainder of the season.
The Cowboys also wore a t-shirt honoring their teammate during warmups on Monday Night Football on Nov. 17. They will wear them again when they play at AT&T Stadium for the first time since Kneeland’s death against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 23.
Cowboys cornerback Josh Butler shared a photo showing him leaving flowers on his locker with the caption “love you dawg.” Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott shared an emotional statement about Kneeland.
“This is a pain that you don’t wish upon anybody. You wish none of us had to go through this. You wish Marshawn didn’t have to go through what he went through. And [I’m] just thankful for each moment we have in this life and don’t take it for granted — and hug and love on those that you do,” he said.
Kneeland will be remembered around the NFL and around the entire sports community forever and will serve as a lesson for athletes, professional or otherwise. You should always check in on your teammates and the ones you love. Tragedies like this should never be met with a sense of indifference.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from mental health issues, make sure that you go and get help. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, please call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for free and confidential crisis counseling.
