Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland dead at 24

Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland has passed away, the team has confirmed. He was 24 years old.

There had been rumors that Kneeland had passed away on social media on Thursday morning. However, it took some time for a more formal confirmation, which came in the form of a statement from the Dallas Cowboys. For the time being, the exact cause of death in Kneeland’s case remains to be known.

“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the team said in a brief statement. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

Later, Kneeland’s agent Jon Perzley would confirm the death. He also released a statement on Kneeland’s passing.

“I am shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night. I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys. 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 pain I can hardly put into words. My heart aches for his family, his teammates, and everyone who loved him,” Perzley wrote. “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.”

Kneeland was a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan. A two-way star in high school at Godwin Heights in Wyoming, Michigan, where he was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2019. He had been the 2,773rd-ranked player overall and the 240th-ranked edge rusher in that recruiting cycle.

He would go on to attend Western Michigan. From 2019 to 2023, he was a star for the Broncos. That included being named a Second-Team All-MAC selection in 2023.

That was good enough for him to become a second round selection and the 56th overall pick of the Dallas Cowboys in the 2024 NFL Draft. He would then go on to play in 18 games over his two NFL seasons. That includes four games that he started. He also had 26 career tackles, five tackles for a loss, and 1.0 sacks. However, he’s been limited by an ankle injury this season.