The Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died at the age of 24, the team announced on Thursday.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning. Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family,” the team said in a statement.
According to the Frisco police department, Kneeland appeared to have taken his own life after a late-night vehicle pursuit and multi-agency search. Officers said Kneeland fled on foot after a crash on southbound Dallas Parkway on Wednesday night and was later located at 1.31am. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Collin County medical examiner’s office.
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His agent, Jonathan Perzley, paid tribute to his client. “I am shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night. I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys,” Perzley wrote in a statement.
“Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit, and goodness is a pain I can hardly put into words. My heart aches for his family, his teammates, and everyone who loved him, and I hope they feel the support of the entire football community during this unimaginable time.”
Western Michigan coach Lance Taylor also issued a statement: “My heart is absolutely broken over the loss of Marshawn Kneeland. Marshawn was so much more than an incredible football player – he was a remarkable young man who meant so much to our program and to me personally. His leadership, energy, and smile were infectious, and he left a lasting impact on everyone in our program. Having coached him during my first season here, we developed a special bond that went far beyond football. His passion for life and his teammates were unmatched. Our entire Bronco Football family is devastated, and we send our deepest prayers to his family, teammates, and all who loved him. Marshawn will forever be a part of the Bronco brotherhood.”
The Cowboys selected Kneeland out of Western Michigan in the second-round of the 2024 draft. His mother, Wendy, died shortly before he was drafted.
“It was definitely tough,” Kneeland said of his mother’s death. “I just managed it. She helped me a lot in my younger years getting into football. I always had the dream. I always told her, ‘I’m going to the NFL’ and I made it.”
Kneeland played in 11 games in his rookie season, but had taken on a more prominent role in 2025. On Monday, he scored his first career touchdown after recovering a blocked punt in the endzone during the Cowboys’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the passing of Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland,” said the NFL. “We have been in contact with the Cowboys and have offered support and counseling resources.”
The Cowboys have suffered the death of players during a season before. In 2012, linebacker Jerry Brown was killed in a car accident in which his teammate Josh Brent had been driving.
