The fallout from the tragic death of 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland on Thursday morning reverberated beyond the NFL, with the effects felt in his home state of Michigan and at the college he starred at, Western Michigan University.
Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor, who coached Kneeland during his final season with the Broncos in 2023, released a statement after the death of his former player.
“My heart is absolutely broken over the loss of Marshawn Kneeland,” Taylor wrote in a post on Western Michigan football’s official X account on November 6. “Marshawn was so much more than an incredible football player — he was a remarkable young man who meant so much to our program and to me, personally. His leadership, energy, and smile were infections, and he left a lastinig impact on everyone in our program. Having coached him during my first season here, we developed a special bond that went far beyond football. His pass for life and his teammates were unmatched. Our entire Bronco Football family is devastated, and we send our deepest prayers to his family, teammates, and all who loved him. Marshawn will forever be a part of the Broncoo brotherhood.”
As a senior at Western Michigan in 2023, he led the team with 4.5 sacks to go with 57 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 8 QB hurries and 2 forced fumbles on the way to earning All-MAC honors. The Wyoming, Michigan, native finished his college career with 149 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 28 TFL and 3 forced fumbles in 38 games.
The Mid-American Conference also released a statement following Kneeland’s death.
“The Mid-American Conference is heartbroken by the loss of former Western Michigan student-athlete Marshawn Kneeland,” the MAC wrote on its official X account. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones, the Dallas Cowboys organization and the entire WMU Broncos community.”
Played Alongside Fellow Second Round Pick at WMU
Kneeland was one of 2 future NFL defensive lineman playing at Western Michigan during his time there, lining up alongside Los Angeles Rams defensive end and fellow 2024 second round pick Braden Fiske.
Fiske and Kneeland played together at Western Michigan from 2019 to 2022, with Fiske leaving to play for Florida State in his final college season in 2023. Fiske was an All-MAC selection at Western Michigan in 2022 and earned All-ACC and All-American honors at FSU in 2023
Kneeland had originally planned to leave and play for the University of Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders in 2023, but changed his mind and stayed with Taylor and the Broncos for his final season.
“The Marshawn Kneeland news is terrible,” SB Nation Rams reporter Blaine Grisak wrote on his official X account. “Rams DL Braden Fiske and Kneeland were on the same defensive line at Western Michigan and played with each other for four years. During the Combine, Fiske mentioned Kneeland as someone he took under his wing after Kneeland red-shirted.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Western Michigan HC ‘Absolutely Broken’ After Marshawn Kneeland’s Death appeared first on Heavy Sports.