Marshawn Kneeland Bio
Marshawn Kneeland was an American professional football defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Born on July 8, 2001, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he played two seasons with the Cowboys after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft. He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos, earning second-team Mid-American Conference honors in 2023 before turning professional. Kneeland died on November 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas, at the age of 24, during his second NFL season.
Across his brief professional career, Kneeland earned a reputation as a hardworking rotational defender whose athleticism and motor caught the attention of the Cowboys’ coaching staff. He was listed at 191 centimeters tall and 122 kilograms, giving him the frame of a prototypical NFL edge rusher. He lived in Plano, Texas, while playing for the Dallas Cowboys.
Early Life and Background
Marshawn Kneeland was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on July 8, 2001. He grew up in the broader Grand Rapids area and attended Godwin Heights High School in Wyoming, Michigan, where he split time between linebacker and tight end. As a senior, he produced 110 tackles and eight sacks on defense while adding 20 receptions for 330 yards and five touchdowns on offense, a two-way workload that pointed to his athletic upside.
Although he was not heavily recruited out of high school, Kneeland committed to Western Michigan University to continue his football career. His high school production, combined with his physical traits, gave the Broncos a developmental prospect who could grow into a defensive contributor with patience and coaching.
Path to American Football
Kneeland joined the Western Michigan Broncos in 2019 and remained with the program through the 2023 season. He developed steadily on the defensive line and earned second-team All-MAC recognition in 2023, the most prestigious conference honor of his college career. Over his full college tenure, he recorded 149 tackles and 12.5 sacks, along with three pass deflections and three forced fumbles.
His college production drew the attention of NFL scouts, and he received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. Despite entering college as an under-recruited prospect, Kneeland had become a desirable NFL candidate by the time he finished his Broncos career. That trajectory led directly to the Dallas Cowboys selecting him 56th overall in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Marshawn Kneeland Career
Early Career (2024)
Kneeland made his NFL debut against the Cleveland Browns on September 8, 2024, opening his rookie season in a Cowboys uniform. He appeared in 11 games as a rookie, finishing the year with 14 tackles while working into the team’s defensive line rotation. His first NFL season was interrupted by a right knee injury suffered while attempting to sack quarterback Justin Fields, an injury that nearly ended his campaign and required arthroscopic surgery.
Even with the injury setback, Kneeland held a steady role on the Cowboys’ defensive front during his rookie year. He worked to refine his pass-rush technique and built relationships with the team’s defensive coaching staff. Those development steps laid the groundwork for an expanded role heading into his second season.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2024–2025)
During training camp before the 2025 season, Kneeland was named by the Cowboys as a possible breakout star on the roster. He intercepted quarterback Dak Prescott in a clip shared on social media, a play that underscored his growing comfort within the defensive scheme. In October 2025, he was listed on the team’s injury report with a possibly practice-related ankle issue.
Two days before his death, Kneeland scored his only NFL touchdown, recovering a blocked punt in the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9. That play stood as the defining highlight of his sophomore season. The touchdown reflected the kind of all-effort, situational play that had defined his path from lightly recruited high schooler to second-round NFL pick.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kneeland’s most memorable on-field moment came in Week 9 of the 2025 season, when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone against the Arizona Cardinals for his first and only NFL touchdown. That play, just days before his death, served as the capstone of his two-season professional career. His selection 56th overall in the 2024 NFL draft remained the highest formal recognition of his football journey.
Marshawn Kneeland Career Wins
Marshawn Kneeland’s career win totals sit in team categories rather than individual championships, given his role as a defensive end. Across two NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys from 2024 to 2025, he contributed as a rotational defensive lineman without earning individual conference or league awards. His 2023 second-team All-MAC selection stands as his most decorated on-field honor from his college career at Western Michigan.
College and Professional Highlights
At Western Michigan, Kneeland earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2023 and finished his college career with 149 tackles and 12.5 sacks. His senior high school totals of 110 tackles and eight sacks earned him a path to the Broncos program despite limited recruiting attention. At the professional level, his blocked-punt recovery touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 of the 2025 season stands as his most memorable individual play.
Marshawn Kneeland Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Kneeland’s mother died unexpectedly of an undisclosed illness in February 2024, two months before he was drafted by the Cowboys. He carried his mother’s ashes with him in a necklace at all times, a deeply personal detail shared publicly after his death. Tennessee Titans defensive back Mike Brown is a cousin of Kneeland.
Personal Life
Kneeland lived in Plano, Texas, during his time with the Dallas Cowboys. Following his death, it was publicly revealed that his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, was pregnant with the couple’s first child. The Dallas Cowboys released a statement describing Kneeland as a beloved teammate and offered thoughts and prayers to his family in the days after his passing.
2025 Season Performance
Kneeland’s 2025 season was his second and final year in the NFL. He opened the year by drawing praise during training camp, where he was identified by the Cowboys as a possible breakout star and recorded an interception of Dak Prescott in a widely shared clip. He appeared in games through the first half of the schedule and was listed on the injury report in October with a possibly practice-related ankle injury.
His defining moment of the 2025 season came in Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals, when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for his only NFL touchdown. That play, just two days before his death, served as the high point of his sophomore campaign. He died on November 6, 2025, in Frisco, Texas, at the age of 24, ending a season in which he had taken a clear step forward in the Cowboys’ defensive rotation.