Tragedy struck the Dallas Cowboys before Week 10, as 24-year-old defensive end Marshawn Kneeland passed away. According to the Frisco Police Department, Kneeland appeared to have taken his own life following a vehicle pursuit and multi-agency search on Wednesday night.
The 24-year-old had scored his first career NFL touchdown just two days earlier on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, recovering a blocked punt in the end zone. A second-round pick out of Western Michigan, he was in his second season with Dallas. The NFL asked all teams to hold a moment of silence and share information about mental health resources, including guidance for fans on how to contact the national suicide hotline. Among the many tributes that followed was one from a former Cowboys great who had long been a symbol of the franchise.
How Did Micah Parsons and the NFL Honor Marshawn Kneeland During the Week?
Micah Parsons, who left the Cowboys just before the season in a trade with the Packers, honored his former teammate just before the game. They were teammates for one year after Kneeland joined Dallas in 2024.
Micah Parsons honors former teammate Marshawn Kneeland. pic.twitter.com/OvnKGQ78nz
— NFL (@NFL) November 11, 2025
When asked about the tragedy on Thursday, Parsons spoke candidly about how deeply it affected him.
“I was extremely shocked. I was extremely hurt by the news,” Parsons said. “I just gotta pray he finds his peace and what he was looking for; how he felt in that moment, you just really don’t know.”
The Green Bay Packers were one of the teams that held a period of silence for the former defender, and Parsons took a knee to honor Kneeland. Although they were teammates for just one season, the respect for a former teammate is something that resonates deeply.
Kneeland was the 56th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. During his rookie season, he appeared in 11 games before a knee injury sidelined him for six games, finishing with 14 tackles. In the 2025 season, he had played in seven games, recording 12 tackles, one sack, and six quarterback hurries.
Mental health has become an important topic of discussion in recent years. In the NFL, no team is more involved in this topic than the Dallas Cowboys. The brother of quarterback Dak Prescott, Jace, took his own life in 2020. Prescott has been very involved in mental health initiatives ever since.
“I hurt for Marshawn, I hurt for his family, I hurt for his girlfriend, I hurt for every single one of my teammates. This is a pain that you don’t wish upon anybody”, Prescott said about the tragic news.
The Cowboys will return to action after a bye week on Nov. 17 when they face the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The team has announced they will wear helmet decals in Kneeland’s memory for the remainder of the season.