Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland ‘shot himself after a police chase’

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has died at the age of 24, with the NFL and the team confirming the tragic news on Thursday afternoon

Dallas Cowboys’ NFL star Marshawn Kneeland shot himself after a police chase. The 24-year-old’s defensive end’s cause of death has been called a “self-inflicted gunshot wound after a pursuit by DPS troopers.”

The troopers attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation on the northbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway near Keller Springs Blvd.

The Department of Public Safety said in a statement: “The driver refused to stop, resulting in a pursuit with DPS Troopers,”

After losing sight of the vehicle they ended the pursuit. His car was later found abandoned and involved in a crash and Kneeland was then found dead nearby.

Frisco police, which assisted in the DPS pursuit, released a statement saying that the abandoned vehicle was found by troopers “minutes later” and that Kneeland was believed to have fled on foot. Police said that during their search, they learned that “Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations.”

The Cowboys confirmed the devastating news in a statement on Thursday. The statement read: “It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning.

“Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

The NFL also issued a statement, expressing: “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 counselling resources.”

Kneeland was midway through his second NFL season and had taken to the field just two days prior against the Arizona Cardinals in Monday Night Football.

The defensive lineman was selected by Dallas in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft from Western Michigan.

His representative Jonathan Perzley confirmed Kneeland’s passing in a heartbreaking statement: “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.

“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.”

Kneeland’s passing comes just over a year after the heartbreaking death of his mum Wendy, who sadly passed away unexpectedly in April 2024, two months prior to the NFL Draft.

The defensive lineman, who wore his mother’s ashes in a necklace after being picked by the Cowboys, previously told WZZM 13: “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.”