How Marshawn Kneeland Honored His Mother After Her Unexpected Death

Marshawn Kneeland’s mom, Wendy, never got to see her son play in an NFL game, but the late Dallas Cowboys defensive end made sure she was with him as he started his professional journey.

Kneeland, who died on Thursday, November 6, at age 24, was known for wearing a chain around his neck that held a small urn containing some of Wendy’s ashes.

Wendy died of an undisclosed illness on February 18, 2024, as Kneeland was preparing for the NFL scouting combine. The second-round pick out of Western Michigan credited his mom for supporting him and his dream of making the NFL.

“It was tough, it still is, but I know at the end of the day the thing that gets me through it is she spent all her life trying to get me to go here and supported me as much as she could to get me to the NFL,” Kneeland told WZZM before the 2024 NFL Draft.

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“She was the one driving me around, trying to find a place for me to do football when I was younger, I started off with two hand tap football,” he added. “She was there for all of my games in high school, as much as she could.”

Kneeland made his professional debut later that year, appearing in 11 games for the Cowboys as a rookie. In 2025, he played in seven games, making three starts before his sudden death.

“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the Cowboys wrote in a statement on Thursday. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

Police dispatch audio obtained by TMZ Sports appeared to depict officers relaying information sent to them from Catalina. At the same time, dispatch said the NFL had contacted police about one of its players, saying he “is texting his family goodbye.”

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Frisco police said in a press release that Kneeland had been involved in a pursuit at around 10:30 p.m. that night, after troopers attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation. They lost track of his vehicle, but later found it empty, having crashed on the Dallas Parkway. Troopers found Kneeland’s body shortly after.

“I am shattered to confirm that my client and dearest friend Marshawn Kneeland passed away last night,” Kneeland’s agent, Jonathan Perzley, confirmed in a statement to NFL.com. “I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys. Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field. To lose someone with his talent, spirit, and goodness is a pain I can hardly put into words.”

Perzley continued, “My heart aches for his family, his teammates, and everyone who loved him, and I hope they feel the support of the entire football community during this unimaginable time. I ask that you please give his loved ones the privacy and compassion they need as they grieve this tremendous loss.”

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