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Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland had the support of his girlfriend, Catalina, before his tragic death. Catalina called the police on Wednesday, November 5, in an attempt to get Kneeland help before he ultimately died by suicide in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 6. “We’re talking to his girlfriend,” a 911 dispatcher said in audio obtained by TMZ Sports on Thursday. “She’s trying to call his agent. We’re trying to get her to call him first.” Catalina told authorities that Kneeland had “a history of mental illness.” Kneeland’s death was announced by the Cowboys on Thursday. He was 24 years old. “It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the team said in a statement. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.” Kneeland and Catalina largely kept their relationship out of the public eye, but she routinely left comments on his Instagram posts. “That’s my mann 😍👏🏽,” Catalina wrote on a post from June that showed off pictures from Cowboys training camp. Kneeland captioned the carousel of photos, “There is no shame in being weak. The shame is in staying weak.” In May, Kneeland shared a series of photos of his late mother, Wendy, who died in February 2024. Catalina commented, “Yk [you know] she’d be so proud of everything you’ve accomplished so far, bby ❤️❤️.” Kneeland shared another series of pictures in January, showing off some highlights from his NFL rookie season. “mhmm my mans so fine 🤤❤️,” Catalina wrote. According to the Frisco Police Department, Kneeland died by suicide after he crashed his car during a police pursuit. Kneeland fled on foot, which led to a search involving K9s and drones executed by authorities. His body was found at 1:31 a.m., and the cause and manner of death will be determined by the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Office. Jonathan Perzley, Kneeland’s agent, issued a statement about his client’s death on Thursday. “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,” Perzley said.”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.” Kneeland was selected out of Western Michigan University by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. In 18 games played, all with Dallas, Kneeland had 26 tackles, four quarterback hits and one sack. During the Cowboys’ game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, November 3, Kneeland scored the first touchdown of his professional career when he recovered a blocked punt in the endzone.
