Micah Parsons opened up after the tragic death of former Dallas Cowboys teammate Marshawn Kneeland, sharing a heartfelt message in his memory
18:03 ET, 07 Nov 2025Updated 18:03 ET, 07 Nov 2025
Parsons spoke to reporters about Kneeland's death
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Parsons spoke to reporters about Kneeland's death(Image: X/@mattschneidman)
Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons has broken his silence following the tragic death of ex-teammate and Dallas Cowboy Marshawn Kneeland.
Kneeland, 24, was found dead early Thursday morning after a late-night police pursuit in the suburbs north of Dallas, while his family had already been torn apart by a tragedy months earlier. The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that the Cowboys defensive end died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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The incident began around 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 when troopers attempted to pull over Kneeland’s vehicle for a traffic violation on the Dallas North Tollway.
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After a brief pursuit, authorities found his car abandoned near Warren Parkway in Frisco and later discovered Kneeland with a fatal gunshot wound nearby. No one else was injured.
Parsons, one of the NFL’s most prominent defensive stars, described Kneeland as a player who brought respect, positivity, and heart to every moment of his brief career.
“I have nothing but high respect for him,” Parsons said Thursday. “He showed me nothing but respect from the moment he came into the locker room. He respected me as a player, and he respected me as a person.”
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His death came just days after one of the high points of his career, a blocked punt return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals, his first NFL score.
In the aftermath, the Cowboys organization released a statement, saying, "It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning. Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family."
Parsons also emphasized his commitment to supporting the family during this difficult time. “If there’s anything his family needs, I’ll be the first person to help or offer anything that I can do,” Parsons said. “I just hope that he finds his peace.”
Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland died early Thursday morning
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Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland died early Thursday morning(Image: Getty)
Teammates have echoed those sentiments across social media, posting tributes to the 24-year-old defensive end, who had appeared in all eight games this season and totaled 15 tackles and a sack.
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Fans flooded Kneeland’s final Instagram post with condolences, expressing disbelief that such a promising young player was gone so soon.
Kneeland, a standout at Western Michigan University, was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft by Dallas.
He signed a four-year, $6.83 million rookie contract, including roughly $4 million guaranteed, and had quickly become a respected presence in the locker room.