Who was Marshawn Kneeland? What to know about Cowboys DE after death

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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died, the team announced in a statement released Nov. 6.

‘It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,’ the Cowboys wrote in a 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.’

Kneeland was 24 years old. The Frisco, Texas, police department on Nov. 6 confirmed that Kneeland was found deceased following a police search late Nov. 5.

Who was Marshawn Kneeland?

Kneeland grew up in Michigan and played collegiately at Western Michigan after being a two-star recruit. Over five college seasons with the Broncos, he logged 148 tackles, 27.5 TFL and 13 sacks.

The Cowboys selected Kneeland in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the 56th overall pick. He expressed excitement about joining Dallas in a call shared by the team and by Kneeland on his Instagram.

‘I won’t let you down, man,’ Kneeland told then-Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy during his draft call.

Kneeland played in 11 games as a rookie, logging 14 tackles while making a strong impression on then-Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

‘He was a great person, eager to learn,’ Zimmer told NFL Network’s Jane Slater following Kneeland’s death. ‘Wanted to be great. He didn’t take any crap from anyone on the field. He studied hard [and] loved playing the game. Tough.’

‘My last conversation with him was keep being you, you’re going to have a great career,’ Zimmer added.

Kneeland earned a larger role with the Cowboys during his second season in 2025. He made three starts across seven games, recording 12 tackles and his first career sack as a key part of Dallas’ defensive line rotation.

Kneeland’s final NFL game came just three days before his death in the Cowboys’ Week 9 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on ‘Monday Night Football.’ He scored the lone touchdown of his NFL career during the contest after recovering a punt blocked by Sam Williams in the second quarter.