Pro Football Rumors
The Cowboys have made a shocking announcement. Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end the team drafted in last year’s second round, passed away Thursday morning. He was 24.
“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cowboys said in a statement (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”
Arriving as the No. 56 overall pick out of Western Michigan last year, Kneeland made four NFL starts. His tragic death comes less than three days after he scored his first NFL touchdown. Kneeland returned a blocked punt for a score against the Cardinals on Monday night in Dallas. After Sam Williams notched the second-quarter block, Kneeland pounced on the recovery for a score. It marked Kneeland’s first touchdown in the college or professional ranks.
A fast-rising prospect from the MAC program, Kneeland memorably set up 16 pre-draft visits last year. The traits he showed during a five-year college career intrigued plenty of teams, as the pass rusher came to the NFL with less-than-stellar college numbers. Kneeland did not have a five-sack college season, but he recorded 25 tackles for loss over his final three. A Cowboys team that at the time was looking for Micah Parsons complementary rush talent swooped in, adding the rookie on Day 2.
More to come.
