Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has passed away suddenly at the age of 24, the team announced on Thursday morning.
Kneeland was in the midst of just his second season in the NFL when he died overnight. His ‘shattered’ agent, Jonathan Perzley, confirmed the ‘tremendous loss’ in an emotional statement. No cause of death was given.
‘It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,’ a statement from the team read.
‘Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.’
Kneeland’s heartbreaking death came just two days after he suited up for the Cowboys in their Monday Night Football matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
The defensive lineman, who was drafted by Dallas in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, achieved a major milestone during the clash, scoring his first professional touchdown when he scooped up a blocked punt in the end zone during the second quarter.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has passed away suddenly at 24
The 24-year-old football player is pictured with his girlfriend, Catalina
His ‘shattered’ agent, Jonathan Perzley, confirmed the loss as the NFL paid tribute
The NFL also paid tribute to the young football star, saying: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the passing of Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland. Our thoughts and prayers are with his girlfriend Catalina, family, friends and his teammates. We have been in contact with the Cowboys and have offered support and counseling resources.’
Kneeland was drafted by the Cowboys out of Western Michigan last year. In nearly two seasons in the NFL, he played in 18 games for Dallas, four of which came as starts. He recorded 26 tackles and one sack.
‘I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream of being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys,’ his agent Perzley said.
‘Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit, and goodness is a pan I can hardly put into words.’
‘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. I ask that you please give his loved ones the privacy and compassion they need as they grieve this tremendous loss.’
Yet, as Kneeland was preparing for the NFL scouting combine he and his family were rocked by another tragedy.
The Grand Rapids native suffered a devastating loss in April 2024 when his mother, Wendy, unexpectedly passed away of an undisclosed illness just two months before the NFL Draft.
‘It was tough, it still is, but I know at the end of the day the thing that gets me through it is she spent all her life trying to get me to go here and supported me as much as she could to get me to the NFL,’ Kneeland previously told WZZM 13.
The defensive lineman was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 draft
Kneeland’s mother, Wendy (left), unexpectedly passed away in February 2024
Kneeland wore his mother’s ashes in a small two-inch urn on a necklace after he was selected by the Cowboys.
The Cowboys are on their bye week and are not scheduled to return to training until Monday before their next game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 17.
Kneeland set records for tackles, sacks and tackles for loss at Godwin Heights High School in Wyoming, Michigan, before attending Western Michigan.
In 38 games throughout his collegiate career, Kneeland registered 27.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, three forced fumbles and three pass deflections.
He also earned a second-team All-Mid-American Conference nod in 2023 after he finished the year with 57 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in nine games.
After the devastating news of his death broke, tribute flooded in from around the NFL world with Kneeland’s Cowboys teammates leading the way.
Dallas’s star tight end Jake Ferguson was among the first to honor his teammate, sharing a tribute to his Instagram story with the caption ‘Love you brother’ alongside three black hearts.
Linebacker Kenneth Murray also reposted a remembrance graphic to his story with the caption ‘Fly high brother’ aside a broken heart emoji.
Wide receiver KaVonte Turpin posted, ‘Love you kid’, while fellow pass catcher Ryan Flournoy wrote, ‘Rest up brother Love you’.
Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer praised his former player as he reacted to the heartbreaking news
‘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,’ he told Jane Slater. ‘My last conversation with him was keep being you you’re going to have a great career.’
