NEED TO KNOW
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland is dead at age 24, the team and his agent announced Thursday morning.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cowboys said in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Thursday, Nov. 6. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
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His agent, Jonathan Perzley, said he was “shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night,” in a statement shared by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The second-year player died on Wednesday night, Perzley said, just 48 hours after he had a big showing during the Cowboys’ Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals. Kneeland recovered a blocked punt in the second quarter and scored a touchdown, putting the Cowboys on the scoreboard.
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Kneeland’s former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who retired earlier this year, praised his player as “tough” in a statement to NFL Network’s Jane Slater.
“He was a great person, eager to learn .. wanted to be great. He didn’t take any crap from anyone on the field. He studied hard-loved playing the game. Tough,” Zimmer said, Slater posted on X. “My last conversation with him was keep being you you’re going to have a great career.”
No cause of death has been shared at this time.
Kneeland was a second-round pick for the Cowboys in the 2024 NFL Draft after a successful college career at Western Michigan. In his two years with the Dallas squad, Kneeland played in 18 games, recording 26 tackles and 1 sack.
Perzley said that “Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice and every moment on the field.”
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“To lose someone with his talent, spirit and goodness is a pain I cannot put into words,” Perzley continued. “My heart aches for his family, his teammates and everyone who loved him, and I hope they feel the support of the entire football community during this unimaginable time.”
