Dallas Cowboys’ Marshawn Kneeland Dies After Disturbing Texts

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died at the age of 24 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, prompting an investigation into the events leading up to his death. On the night of November 5, 2023, the team’s director of security, Cable Johnson, contacted law enforcement to request a welfare check on Kneeland. Johnson informed the police that Kneeland had sent troubling text messages indicating he did not want to go to jail.

According to audio obtained by ESPN through a public records request, Johnson relayed to Plano police dispatch that Kneeland had sent group texts suggesting suicidal thoughts. “He made some statements about not being able to go to prison or jail,” Johnson mentioned, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The call occurred approximately one hour after police began pursuing Kneeland’s vehicle.

The series of events began when officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety sought assistance locating Kneeland’s car, which had evaded police during a traffic stop. At 10:39 p.m., Frisco police received a report regarding the pursuit, which included surveillance footage showing Kneeland’s car speeding along the Dallas North Tollway.

Shortly thereafter, at 10:40 p.m., Kneeland’s vehicle was involved in a collision with a pickup truck near The Star, the Cowboys’ headquarters. Following the crash, Kneeland fled on foot, prompting a search by police that included the use of drones and K-9 units.

As the search continued, officers learned that Kneeland had expressed suicidal ideations, raising further concerns. Johnson placed his call to police at 11:40 p.m., indicating that Kneeland had sent the concerning text messages within the previous 20 minutes. During the conversation, he noted that Kneeland was “off work” and expressed uncertainty about his current location.

Johnson also mentioned he was en route to Kneeland’s apartment in Plano and provided a description of Kneeland’s car to assist the police. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “I’m sure you can do like a regional check to see if any other agency is dealing with him right now.”

Police located Kneeland’s body several hours later, at 1:31 a.m. on November 6. In light of the tragedy, the Cowboys organization has remained largely silent, with Tad Carper, the team’s senior vice president of communications, confirming Johnson’s wellness check call but refraining from further comments.

The loss of Marshawn Kneeland has sent shockwaves through the football community, with friends and family expressing their grief over the untimely passing of a player who many believed had a promising future ahead.