The Dallas Cowboys were hit with tragedy on the morning of November 6, when the team announced that second-year edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland had died at the age of 24.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the club said in a statement, adding that Kneeland was “a beloved teammate and member of our organization” and extending condolences to his girlfriend, Catalina, and his family. The remainder of the statement emphasized how quickly he’d become part of the locker room and noted that grief counselors would be made available to players and staff.
As of the time of publication, team officials had not disclosed a cause of death or precisely where it occurred.
The young defensive lineman’s passing will be felt beyond the current roster. Before the Cowboys dealt All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August, the two spent the entire 2024 season in the same meeting room. After news of Kneeland’s death was announced, Parsons took to Instagram to share an emotional reaction.
Micah Parsons Has Emotional Response to Sudden Death of Former Dallas Cowboys Teammate Marshawn Kneeland
GettyFormer Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons had an emotional response to the sudden death of former teammate Marshawn Kneeland.
While with Dallas, Parsons was the unquestioned leader of the defense, and was often cited inside the building as the standard for the team’s young front-seven players. Kneeland was a high-effort rookie who tried to mirror that standard in 2024.
The two played together for just one season, but they clearly had a bond. “I’m sorry lil brother, I hope you find peace,” Parsons wrote on his Instagram story after learning of the tragedy.
Kneeland was one of the young, cost-controlled defenders the front office expected to grow into a larger role over the back half of 2025. Now the team’s focus shifts from depth charts to mourning: players are on a bye, and the organization said it will support everyone affected, including coaches, staff and family members. The NFL has also made league counseling resources available for all involved.
More on This Unexpected Tragedy
Drafted in the second round out of Western Michigan in 2024, Kneeland’s NFL story was barely underway — 6-foot-3, about 268 pounds, a Michigan native who stayed home for college and then fought his way into a marquee role on one of the league’s most visible franchises.
Kneeland’s death is especially jarring because it comes only three days after what was easily the signature play of his young career — a blocked-punt recovery for a touchdown in the Cowboys’ 27–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. He had been carving out a steady rotational role in Matt Eberflus’ defense, appearing in 18 games over two seasons and finally getting his first career season sack in the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
His agent, Jonathan Perzley, also released a statement, which NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared.
“I watched him fight his way from hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream of being respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys. Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice and every moment on the field,” Perzley’s statement read. “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.”
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