The NFL community is still grieving the loss of the Cowboys’ 24-year-old defensive end, Marshawn Kneeland. The bye week for the Cowboys personnel was emotional after the tragic loss of a teammate they shared their wins and losses with. As they reassemble the unit for their upcoming game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Emmitt Smith shares what it’s like in a locker room that is a constant reminder of who is missing. 

“Let me paint a picture for you. You’re going into a locker room that you’re very familiar with, and you have a guy that you saw for weeks, months, and that locker is empty. He’s no longer there. Not because he got traded, not because he got cut. He’s no longer there because he’s no longer living,” Emmitt Smith explained.

“That’s a hard thing to deal with. We talk about mental toughness. We talk about mental and emotional stress and strain. This is what you’re asking these athletes to go through. You’re asking them to bury their feelings- bury their feelings so they can get prepared to go back to battle. And it’s going to be a challenging time.” 

On November 6, 2025, Marshawn Kneeland’s death from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a vehicle pursuit near the team’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas, was a lot for the Dallas Cowboys to process. It was a profound moment off the field, especially in the locker room, where the team shared their silent grief.

Just two days earlier, Kneeland had scored his first NFL touchdown, recovering a blocked punt in the end zone during Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals. The loss felt unreal, and the team will continue the remainder of the season to honor Kneeland and his empty locker.

“His death is such a national awareness thing that it takes on some of that light when we think about how we go forward,” Jerry Jones said.

Beyond the immediate tragedy, discussions about mental health have intensified. Kneeland was a strong, loving person who cared deeply about his family and everyone around him. Losing his mother last year and his grandfather in 2023 was incredibly hard for him. He didn’t display any signs of depression or mental health issues. 

Police audio obtained by PEOPLE included a dispatcher saying, “We’re talking to the girlfriend. She’s trying to call his agent, but we’re trying to get her to call him first. But she’s saying he is armed and has a history of mental illness, and her quote was, ‘He will end it all.'”

The Cowboys have since made support resources available to players and staff. The grief from recently losing his loved ones was a significant factor in his passing, a tragedy made even more heartbreaking by the news that his girlfriend is pregnant.

Cowboys to support Kneeland’s girlfriend

Shortly after the tragic death of Marshawn Kneeland, the Dallas Cowboys revealed his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, was pregnant with their first child. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the news and said the team has established a memorial fund to support Mancera and the baby. 

“We’ve started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, where we can all give and support Catalina. She’s pregnant, and so we want to make sure she’s taken care of and the baby’s taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer told reporters. 

The news now shifts the focus to the unborn child and the promise of a legacy beyond the field. The Cowboys organization pledged ongoing care and financial support for Mancera and the baby. The timeline of the pregnancy remains undisclosed.

In the wake of this revelation, the NFL community faces an added dimension to the loss: a life begun as another ended. The story presses beyond statistics and game day, reaching into questions of support, grief, and the unexpected ways a life can ripple outwards.