The NFL community is mourning the loss of 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.
Yesterday the tragic news broke of the athlete’s sudden passing and his rather shocking cause of death has now come to light.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cobowys said in a statement yesterday.
“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 news was also confirmed by Kneeland’s agent, Jonathan Perzley, on X. “I am shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night,” Perzley wrote.
“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.”
New information has since been unearthed, including the 24-year-old’s cause of death. Given the unexpected nature of his passing, fans were left wondering what tragedy could have befallen him. The answer, sadly, is perhaps not what anyone anticipated.
In an official statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety, via Sports Illustrated, it was revealed that Kneeland had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a police pursuit.
“Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation on the northbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway near Keller Springs Blvd,” the statement read.
“The driver refused to stop, resulting in a pursuit with DPS Troopers. However, DPS Troopers lost sight of the vehicle, and the pursuit was terminated.
“The vehicle was later located abandoned and had been involved in a crash on the southbound lanes of Dallas Parkway near Warren Parkway. DPS Aircraft and Troopers, along with the Frisco Police Department, searched the immediate area and found the driver, Marshawn Kneeland, deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Having been drafted by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Kneeland conducted himself well both on and off the pitch. The Michigan native featured in 11 games during his rookie season and was starting to take on a more prominent role in 2025.
Days before his death, Kneeland scored his first career touchdown during the Cowboys’ loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
According to a spokesperson for the Plano Police Department, officers responded to “a welfare concern” at Kneeland’s residence around 11:40 p.m. on Wednesday night (the day before his death) a post read on X.
Police did not make contact with anyone inside, and no further details have been released at the time of writing.
Rest in peace, Marshawn Kneeland.
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