The Dallas Cowboys announced traumatic news on November 6th. Defensive end, Marshawn Kneeland has been found dead in Frisco, Texas. He was 24 years old.
Kneeland was in his second year with the Cowboys organization, after being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft. He appeared in 11 games his rookie year and seven more this season. Just three days before his passing, Marshawn recovered a punt for a touchdown during the Monday night game.
On Wednesday night, Texas Department of Safety troopers attempted to stop Kneeland for a traffic violation, but he refused to comply according to authorities. Not long after, his car had crashed near Warren Parkway in Frisco. Reports indicated that Kneeland then fled on foot from the crash. Kneeland’s body was found in the immediate vicinity of his vehicle at 1:31 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6.
In a media release later on November 6, the Frisco Police Department said that Kneeland may have died by suicide, noting he was found with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to the FDP, in the time between discovering his abandoned vehicle and finding his body, they learned he “had expressed suicidal ideations.”
The Dallas Cowboys’ Monday night game on November 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders became a moment of tribute for Marshawn Kneeland. The Cowboys honored Kneeland by wearing a No. 94 decal on their helmets for the game, warming up in t-shirts with his picture, and placing his jersey in the locker room. Quarterback Dak Prescott also wrote “One love” on his wrist tape, one of Kneeland’s favorite sayings.
Through an incredibly emotional week, the Cowboys pushed through and secured a 33–16 win.
