Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The recent passing of promising football player Marshawn Kneeland, believed to be a suicide, has sent shockwaves through the NFL community, leaving his teammates deeply affected by the unforeseen loss.
In an update shared yesterday, Kneeland’s coach from the Dallas Cowboys provided a poignant glimpse into the 24-year-old’s personal life and made a pledge to support the player’s family.
During the Cowboys’ last game on Monday, November 3, the second-year player celebrated his first NFL touchdown, marking a proud moment for both him and his team. However, just two days later, he was discovered dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
With visible emotion, Brian Schottenheimer revealed on Wednesday that Kneeland’s girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is expecting his child. Catalina broke her silence by expressing on social media, “words could never express how broken I feel, you’re my everything.”
In a heartfelt move, Kneeland’s teammates and the broader Cowboys community vowed to provide financial security for his girlfriend and future child indefinitely, establishing a fund in the late player’s honor.
“We’ve started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, where we can all give and support Catalina,” Schottenheimer announced on Wednesday.
“She’s pregnant, and we want to ensure she’s cared for and the baby’s cared for throughout their lives,” he continued.
Reflecting on his experience with Kneeland, his coach shared: “He had the most playful spirit of any young man I’ve been around. His smile could take you to your knees.”
The unexpected and tragic death of the 24-year-old on November 6 is linked to a series of events that began with a police chase the previous night after Kneeland ignored requests to stop.
Details have emerged that, after eluding the police and crashing his car before escaping on foot, the defensive lineman sent a series of alarming farewell messages to loved ones.
This prompted a request for Frisco PD to conduct a welfare check, with his girlfriend later expressing her concerns that he had a weapon and might harm himself.
Chilling audio from police communications at the time provides further insight into the tragic event. “We’re talking to the girlfriend… she’s saying he’s armed and has a history of mental illness and her quote was ‘he will end it all,'” the call handler stated.
Kneeland was found deceased at 1:31 a.m., the result of an apparent gunshot.
The first Dallas Cowboys match following Kneeland’s death is scheduled for Monday, November 17, against the Las Vegas Raiders.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.