On Thursday morning, tragedy struck the NFL community. It was announced that Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland, at age 24, passed away. The cause of death has not yet been released, but the team and Kneeland’s agent have issued statements expressing heartbreak and offering condolences to his family, friends, and teammates.
News of his passing spread quickly across the league, prompting an outpouring of grief from former teammates, coaches, and players around the NFL.
Former Teammate Micah Parsons Honors Marshawn Kneeland Amid NFL’s Outpouring of Grief
Moments after the Cowboys issued the following statement regarding Kneeland’s passing, several players followed, including former Dallas star Micah Parsons.
Several players have also commented about Kneeland, including former Cowboy Micah Parsons, who shared the NFL’s post about Kneeland’s death to his story and added his own caption. “I’m sorry lil brother I hope you find peace,” Parsons wrote.
Micah Parsons pay tribute to Marshawn Kneeland pic.twitter.com/3xRYPUssBq
— DAKSZN (@D4PRESCOTTSZN) November 6, 2025
Parsons spent the 2024 season as Kneeland’s teammate, and the two were in the same position room. The two only spent one season together, but they played the same position. The Cowboys drafted Kneeland out of Western Michigan in the 2nd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Kneeland played in 11 games and collected 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits. A meniscus tear cost Kneeland six games in his rookie season.
Before the 2025 season, the Cowboys made the shocking decision to trade Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. The hope was that the young edge-rushers on the roster, Kneeland among them, would make up for Parsons’ absence. PFSN’s EDGE Impact ranking gives Parsons an elite 86.5 grade, while no Cowboy edge-rusher has a grade higher than 77.3.
Kneeland started three games in 2025 and appeared in seven. The defender racked up 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and one sack. Just last weekend, Kneeland achieved the highlight of his young career when he recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s devastating that Kneeland lost his life right as he was beginning to gain some positive momentum in his NFL career.
Before making it to the NFL, Kneeland starred for the Western Michigan Broncos from 2019 to 2023. The defender played in 38 career college games, accumulating 148 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks.
Kneeland was considered one of the top edge-rushers in the 2024 class, and the Cowboys felt like they got a steal by snagging him in the second round.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or is in emotional distress, contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or at http://988lifeline.org.
