Pals, household reel after Marshawn Kneeland’s demise

NFL AGENT JON Perzley woke as much as a textual content final Thursday morning from his consumer Marshawn Kneeland. Perzley was on the highway, in a lodge room, and at that time unaware of the information that may later shake the NFL world — that Kneeland, a second-year defensive finish for the Dallas Cowboys, was useless.

Perzley beforehand spoke to Kneeland that Tuesday, hours after Kneeland ran down a blocked punt in the long run zone for a landing on “Monday Evening Soccer.” Dallas had finally fallen to the Arizona Cardinals 27-17, and Perzley stated Kneeland was extra targeted on his crew's loss.

“It was a traditional day,” Perzley stated in an interview with ESPN. “He is completely happy, however he would wish to be higher. He'd wish to win.”

Early that Thursday morning, police discovered Kneeland's physique with an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound. Kneeland had beforehand evaded officers throughout a pursuit, crashed his automobile and fled on foot.

Police stated they looked for Kneeland for practically three hours, and whereas they seemed, they acquired info that he had expressed “suicidal ideations.” Throughout their search, his girlfriend referred to as regulation enforcement to say Kneeland was armed, had a historical past of psychological sickness and that he would “finish all of it,” in keeping with varied information studies, citing dispatch audio.

She additionally instructed police that she was attempting to contact Kneeland's agent, in keeping with these studies. Perzley stated she wasn't in a position to name him till morning, after the incident.

Kneeland's demise has left those that knew him reeling, in keeping with interviews together with his household, agent and former teammates. Many described Kneeland as an individual who was typically smiling — generally to the purpose of laughing — form, assured and steadfast in his perception that he belonged within the NFL.

“He simply had this attraction about him that was so pure and trustworthy. I do not assume there's an individual who crossed paths with him who had a foul factor to say,” Perzley stated. “On the surface you go, he checks each field that exists, and so I feel that is why it is actually exhausting for folks proper now. It is exhausting to grasp it. Actually exhausting.”

Perzley declined to enter element about a lot of the message he acquired from Kneeland as a result of he did not wish to compromise an lively police investigation.

However one a part of that final message retains him going.

Kneeland instructed him he cherished him.

MARSHAWN KNEELAND GREW up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 25 miles from Lake Michigan. When Kneeland was in elementary faculty and others had been making snowmen, he was honing his soccer expertise, stated his cousin Nicole Kneeland-Woods. Even again then, the NFL was his dream, she stated.

“That is all he ever needed to do,” she stated.

His grandma referred to as him her child large. And Kneeland stood out, for his dimension — finally rising to 6-foot-3 and 268 kilos — and his persona.

“He was bodily a giant man, however he was probably the most kindhearted, caring, simply beneficiant, loving particular person that you simply'd ever meet,” Kneeland-Woods instructed ESPN. “We at all times knew he was going to be one thing as a result of he was completely different, targeted. He knew what he needed.”

In highschool, Kneeland performed linebacker and tight finish, receiving all-state honorable point out as a junior and later incomes a spot on the all-state first crew in his senior yr.

However Kneeland was a two-star recruit who did not get many FBS presents. He stayed near house, signing with Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, about 50 miles south of Grand Rapids, the place he made an impression upon his arrival in 2019.

“He had nice power,” stated Andre Carter, a fellow Western Michigan defensive lineman who performed with Kneeland for 4 years. “Infectious power, truly.”

Carter remembered coming into the soccer constructing when he was having a foul day, solely to have it rotated by a smile from Kneeland. “It is an understatement to say how nice his power [was] and simply how a lot he was wanted in that room,” Carter stated. The pair bonded over soccer and anime.

Two of Kneeland's school teammates, Jeremiah Piper and Quinton Cannon, additionally famous Kneeland's love for anime. Cannon stated Kneeland watched “Cyberpunk: Edgerunners,” a present a couple of dystopian future through which the principle character loses his mom and later dies himself.

In Kneeland's sophomore season in 2020, former teammate Jamal Williams, who was on the Western Michigan roster the yr earlier than, was reportedly shot and killed in an incident with safety whereas at a hospital for his psychological well being. “It made us sort of all simply keep on with one another and maintain one another tight and just about simply be there for one another,” Carter stated.

Western Michigan defensive lineman Hozey Haji-Badri stated he leaned on Kneeland when he transferred from East Carolina. Kneeland picked him up earlier than observe and took him out to eat afterward. “He actually bought me acclimated,” Haji-Badri stated. “And for that, I am going to always remember.” The 2 bonded over a shared love of meals — something from barbecue to Thai, Haji-Badri stated.

After the 2022 season, Western Michigan fired coach Tim Lester. Kneeland entered the switch portal and was set to go to Colorado. However Perzley stated he modified his thoughts after a dialog together with his highschool coach, Brandon Kimble, who talked to him about loyalty and staying to get his diploma.

Kneeland additionally felt compelled to remain near house as a result of his grandfather's well being was failing, his cousin Kneeland-Woods stated.

Months earlier than his remaining school season, Kneeland's grandfather died.

THAT DIDN'T SEEM to gradual Kneeland. He earned a visit to the Senior Bowl in 2024, a showcase for prime NFL draft expertise, and was invited to the NFL scouting mix, which was set for the tip of February.

Eleven days earlier than the mix, his mother, Wendy Kneeland, died unexpectedly. She was 45 years outdated. Perzley instructed Kneeland that it was OK if he did not wish to go to Indianapolis. Perzley stated he'd name everybody, and they'd perceive.

“Nope,” Perzley stated Kneeland instructed him, “Mama would need me to do that.”

Perzley stated Kneeland's girlfriend was his “rock” throughout that point, sharing tears, hugs and lots of conversations. “However he was a warrior,” Perzley stated.

On the mix, Kneeland turned within the quickest instances of any defensive lineman within the quick shuttle and three-cone drill.

A number of days later, he returned house to Michigan for his mother's celebration-of-life ceremony. Kneeland eulogized his mom. He talked about her at all times being there on chilly nights within the stands at his soccer video games and at all times lending an ear when he wanted assist with faculty or life.

He stated his life had been hectic recently, and that he had hoped his mother may very well be there with him for his draft celebration.

“The factor that helped me go on,” he instructed the congregation, “was similar to, ‘OK, we have got time.' And clearly that is sudden. … However man, I want if I might return in time, I might've positively discovered a approach for me to go to see her.

“It tore me aside, however one factor that helped me get via it's that I can nonetheless really feel her simply coaching, and this and that. I might ask her to be with me, and I can really feel her presence with me, and I nonetheless do. She was at all times that loving particular person, so I do know she's nonetheless watching over me. It is positively robust going via it, however I attempt to be sturdy, as a lot as I can.”

On April 26, 2024, the Cowboys chosen him within the second spherical with the 56th decide. In a Dallas Cowboys YouTube video, then-coach Mike McCarthy congratulated Kneeland by telephone.

“I will not allow you to down,” Kneeland instructed him.

IN AN INTERVIEW with ESPN, McCarthy stated Kneeland's temperament stood out in his early days as a Cowboy. Kneeland was innately robust, he stated.

Kneeland was given the No. 94 — the jersey quantity worn by Professional Soccer Corridor of Famers Charles Haley and DeMarcus Ware. It did not appear to intimidate him.

“His first minicamp observe, you might see he bought into it somewhat bit with the tight ends and simply older gamers,” McCarthy stated. “However he performed the identical approach on a regular basis.

“He was only a very spectacular man that match proper in. He may very well be quiet, however he at all times had a smile on his face. He at all times had a smile … I might say that you simply at all times knew the water ran deep with him. Simply in my time with him he was a respectful, deep thinker.”

McCarthy stated he was conscious of the struggles and loss that Kneeland went via within the months earlier than his rookie season, and stated the Cowboys have a very good help system in place to maintain tabs on the gamers' psychological well being.

“Anyone that may contact the locker room has a duty to attach and be part of it,” he stated. “That is what's so gut-wrenching about what occurred. As a result of instantly you go proper to, ‘What might I've accomplished? Might I've accomplished one thing higher?'”

A month into his rookie season, Kneeland was enjoying effectively and beginning to get an expanded function. Then, on Oct. 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh, on the fourth defensive play of the sport, he was taking quarterback Justin Fields to the bottom when he partially tore a meniscus.

Kneeland had surgical procedure, and McCarthy stated he was impressed with how diligent he was in his rehab. He completed the 2024 season with 9 solo tackles.

“I discovered him to be professionally mature,” McCarthy stated. “He belonged from day one … I imply, he was uncooked — 90% of them are. However he was positively a man that I believed would play a very long time on this league. I imply, he had 10-year-plus qualities simply due to the best way that he performed.”

WITH 4:05 TO go within the second quarter of Dallas' Monday night time matchup with the Cardinals on Nov. 3, Arizona held a 10-0 lead and lined up for a punt from its personal 36-yard line. Cowboys defensive finish Sam Williams plowed via the Arizona line and into the face of punter Pat O'Donnell, whose kick ricocheted off Williams' helmet again into the Arizona finish zone.

Three Cowboys took off working in a straight-line dash from the 25. Kneeland led the pack. He fell on the soccer because it spun to a cease in the long run zone. Coach Brian Schottenheimer pumped his fist on the sideline, and Kneeland jumped into Williams' arms to have a good time.

Former Western Michigan teammate Carter watched from his sofa. “It was simply a type of wow moments like, ‘Wow, I am actually blessed to have the ability to see this earlier than my eyes.'”

His different former teammate Haji-Badri texted Kneeland instantly after the landing to inform him how proud he was.

Again in Illinois, his cousin Kneeland-Woods was watching along with her three sons. “Marshawn bought a landing!” certainly one of them screamed. Kneeland-Woods despatched a textual content, “We see you, 94!”

TWO DAYS LATER, at 10:39 that Wednesday night time, Frisco police and the Texas Division of Public Security teamed as much as monitor down a automobile that had evaded troopers, in keeping with an announcement from regulation enforcement.

On freeway surveillance video obtained by ESPN through a public data request in search of footage associated to Kneeland, a Dodge Charger seems to be dashing northbound on the Dallas North Tollway, in some situations pursued by a police automobile. The Charger then seems to exit the freeway onto a parallel entry highway and switch left onto an overpass to make a U-turn south.

Moments later, the video reveals the Charger touring southbound about one block from The Star — the Cowboys' sprawling 91-acre headquarters — the place the automobile then seems to crash into one other car. A spokesperson for the Texas Division of Public Security stated Kneeland crashed right into a pickup truck, however the driver of the truck was not injured.

In accordance with police, Kneeland fled the crash, and police started to seek for him utilizing drones and Ok-9 models. Police finally situated Kneeland at 1:31 a.m. with an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Kneeland stored his circle tight, Perzley stated. He figured there have been perhaps 5 folks fortunate sufficient to know a few of Kneeland's innermost ideas. Perzley is a part of that orbit, however he would by no means have imagined that landing, and that decision Tuesday, can be a few of the final moments he'd share with Kneeland.

Perzley stated Kneeland's household life was exhausting, and that generally folks undergo in silence. He stated Kneeland was completely different, however in “a particular approach.” He typically wore black, Perzley believes, as a result of he did not wish to be acknowledged. He did not hunt down fame.

Now Perzley finds himself with a heightened sense of fear about all of his different shoppers. He stated Kneeland needed to ensure the folks round him had fun and sometimes projected a smiling, completely happy picture.

Perzley stated it looks like extra younger persons are taking their very own lives today, and it pains him to consider another person going via this.

“He was younger and good-looking and unbelievable at soccer,” he stated. “And to have all of that and nonetheless damage on the within, you recognize, it sucks.

“I hate it. It is terrible. However one thing is telling me he is at peace.”

ESPN's Todd Archer and Paula Lavigne contributed to this report.