The NFL and the Dallas Cowboys organization are mourning the death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Nov. 6. He was 24.
The second-year player was involved in a police chase in the hours leading up to his untimely demise, according to PEOPLE. But his loved ones believe his struggles with mental health, compounded with the loss of his mother two months before the NFL draft last year, contributed to his tragic end. According to reports, Kneeland sent text messages to his family and girlfriend saying goodbye before taking his own life.
The rising football star recorded his first career touchdown during the Cowboys’ Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 3., only two days before the end of his young life. During the tense time leading up to authorities locating his vehicle after losing sight of Kneeland on the highway, his girlfriend, Catalina, spoke to 9-1-1 dispatchers about her concerns for his safety.
“She’s trying to call his agent,” a dispatcher said on the recording obtained by PEOPLE. “So we’re trying to get him to call her to call him first, but she’s saying he is armed and has a history of mental illness and her quote was, ‘He will end it all.’ ”
According to reports, attempts at communicating with Kneeland went unanswered.
After being drafted in 2024, Kneeland spoke about the unexpected passing of his mother in an interview with the Dallas Morning News.
“It was definitely tough,” he said. “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.”
The Michigan native was drafted to the Cowboys during the second round of the draft with the team’s owner, Jerry Jones, personally calling Kneeland to deliver the news.
The team dedicated a post to Kneeland on Instagram, saying,
“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.”
Mental health issues are real for so many. With Keyshia Ka’Oir‘s latest reveal about aiding her husband, Gucci Mane, with his bipolar and schizophrenia diagnoses, she is speaking out about getting men the help they need.
“Mental health is real and those episodes are a nightmare for the person going thru it & the family members involved! My husband & I tried to raise awareness & the narrative was changed to me controlling him,” she said in a caption. “Me putting a spell on him! How DISGUSTING! WHY? All Because he’s a responsible adult who has finally accepted he has mental health issues & did something about it! Now he no longer has episodes and is in a really good space in his LIFE & it’s made fun of!!! SHAME ON YALL’!!! WE need to do better as a community! Everything is not a joke ! If u have never dealt with someone with mental health please sit this one out!”
She definitely has a point: mental health issues are very serious and can have lasting consequences for many. Our prayers are with the Kneeland family.
