Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, who previously played for Western Michigan University, has died in Texas.
The 24-year-old was found dead after a vehicle and foot chase with police. That’s according to a statement from the police department in Frisco, a suburb of Dallas. It said Kneeland appears to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Kneeland was born in Grand Rapids and played for Western from 2019 to 2023.
In a press release, the Dallas Cowboys called Kneeland a beloved teammate. The team added that Kneeland was in the middle of his second season with the team, having scored his first career touchdown last Monday.
WMU head football coach Lance Taylor also mourned the loss of Kneeland on Thursday, calling him a remarkable young man. Taylor said he and the rest of the Bronco football family are devastated by the news.
"Our department is heartbroken over the passing of Marshawn Kneeland," WMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae added in a statement.
"Marshawn was a beloved member of our campus community and a proud alumnus who worked hard to earn a degree and achieve his dream of being drafted into the NFL. While his football talents were exceptional, they came second to his kind and engaging spirit and his love for his Bronco teammates and coaches.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, as well as the close community he had in Grand Rapids, the State of Michigan, and at his new home with the Dallas Cowboys," Bartholomae said.
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