Marshawn Kneeland’s family is speaking out following his death at the age of 24.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Thursday, Nov. 6, Marshawn’s relative Nicole Kneeland-Woods shared that the family is grieving the unexpected loss of the Dallas Cowboys defensive end, who died from a likely self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday night.
“We are devastated by this tremendous loss and are still processing the depth of our grief,” Nicole wrote on behalf of the Kneeland family. “As Marshawn was making his mark on the football field with the Dallas Cowboys, he held an even more special place off the field — as a devoted son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend.”
She continued, “He was kind, determined, humble and full of love. His light shone brightly in every life he touched, and his spirit will continue to live on through the countless hearts he inspired.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/Marshawn-Kneeland-of-the-Dallas-Cowboys-and-family-110625-5e630fe9ea564304937237d28ad013d0.jpg)
Nicole added that the family is “deeply grateful” for the love and support they’ve received.
“During this difficult time, we ask for privacy as we come together as a family to honor and remember Marshawn’s life and legacy,” she concluded in the statement.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/Marshawn-Kneeland-110625-3-a353da7a03be4fed81f95bb33fc6639f.jpg)
Kneeland died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after leading Texas DPS troopers on a chase north of Dallas on Wednesday night, authorities said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
The Grand Rapids, Mich. native fled his vehicle after it crashed in Frisco, minutes away from Cowboys headquarters, and was found near his car in the early morning hours of Thursday, Nov. 6.
In addition to family and fans, his teammates are mourning the loss of the promising young second-year player, who scored his first NFL touchdown on Monday Night Football two days before his death.
“Tragic loss, I hurt, heavy heavy heart today,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters on Thursday. “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 you don’t wish upon anybody. You wish none of us had to go through this. You wish Marshawn didn’t have to go through what he went through.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
