The Cowboys honored their teammate Marshawn Kneeland, who died by suicide on Thursday, by placing flowers in his locker at the team facility.
Cornerback Josh Butler posted a photo of Kneeland’s locker adorned with roses, captioning it simply, “I love you.”
It’s a bye week for the Cowboys, but the tragic news of losing a 24-year-old teammate due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a police chase has left everyone in shock.
The organization is offering counseling services as support, and practices are set to resume on Monday, as reported.
Dak Prescott, the star quarterback, expressed his deep sadness on Thursday during a field dedication ceremony at a Louisiana high school in his name. He shared with CBS News Texas, “It was a very tough day…I started getting the news early. A tragic loss. I’m hurting. My heart is heavy today. I’m hurting for Marshawn, for his family, and for his girlfriend.” He added, “This is a pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone. None of us wish we had to go through this.”
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), an officer attempted to pull over a vehicle for a traffic violation late Wednesday, but the driver fled, leading to a chase. Eventually, the vehicle was found abandoned after what appeared to be a collision.
Tragically, Kneeland was discovered dead at the scene. The police stated he had suffered a “self-inflicted gunshot wound” and had expressed suicidal thoughts prior to their arrival.
Audio recordings from that night revealed that Kneeland’s girlfriend mentioned he was armed and, distressingly, indicated he might “end it all.” Reports also suggested he texted a farewell to his family before the incident.
Kneeland, a second-round pick in 2024, had played in 18 games over two seasons, with seven appearances this season, including a touchdown against the Cardinals last Monday night.
In a statement on Thursday morning, the Dallas Cowboys expressed their sorrow, remarking, “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org for confidential support.
