Dallas Cowboys Player Marshawn Kneeland Dead at 24

The BareStory

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died at the age of 24, the team confirmed Thursday. His body was discovered by law enforcement in Frisco, Texas, early Thursday morning. According to the Frisco Police Department, Kneeland appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release an official cause of death.

The discovery followed events that began Wednesday night. The Texas Department of Public Safety reported that its troopers attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Kneeland at approximately 10:30 p.m. The driver fled, and after a pursuit, the vehicle was found crashed and abandoned. During the subsequent search, police said they received information that Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations. The Plano Police Department also confirmed it responded to a welfare concern after a friend reported that Kneeland had sent a goodbye text to a group chat.

In a statement, the Dallas Cowboys called Kneeland a "beloved teammate" and extended condolences to his girlfriend and family. Kneeland's family also confirmed his death, describing him as a devoted and kind person and asking for privacy. The NFL and the NFL Player's Association both issued statements of condolence and said they had offered counseling resources to the Cowboys organization.

Kneeland was in his second season in the NFL after being selected in the second round of the 2024 draft. The Michigan native played college football at Western Michigan. In his final game on Monday, he scored his first career touchdown.