The father of late Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland was behind bars when his son tragically died last week.
Shawn Kneeland, Marshawn's dad, was sentenced in January after he was found guilty of attempting to discharge a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon and tampering with evidence, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
He is currently incarcerated at the Newberry Correctional Facility in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Shawn's earliest release date is listed as January 2026, with a maximum discharge date sometime in November 2029.
Marshawn died on Thursday, November 6, after a brief police chase in Texas. He was 24 years old.
After authorities attempted to pull over Marshawn for a traffic violation on Wednesday, November 5, he evaded them before crashing his vehicle. Authorities believe he fled on foot before he was found shortly after 1:30 a.m., dead from an apparent suicide.
Marshawn's girlfriend, Catalina, had called police and expressed concern for her boyfriend's wellbeing, claiming the NFL star had "a history of mental illness" and was struggling to locate him.
The Cowboys announced Marshawn's death in a statement on Thursday morning.
"It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning," the team said. "Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family."
Marshawn's family issued their own statement about his passing via social media.
"The Kneeland family can confirm the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved Marshawn Kneeland," the family said in a statement via Facebook on Thursday. "We are devastated by this tremendous loss and are still processing the depth of our grief. As Marshawn was making his mark on the football field with the Dallas Cowboys, he held an even more special place off the field - as a devoted son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, grandson, and friend."
Marshawn's father was tagged in the Facebook post, alongside other family members including Marshawn's three siblings: brothers AJ and Shawn Jr., and sister Yahmya.
The Cowboys star's mother, Wendy, died of an undisclosed illness in February 2024.
"He was kind, determined, humble, and full of love," the statement continued. "His light shone brightly in every life he touched, and his spirit will continue to live on through the countless hearts he inspired. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from friends, fans, and the community. During this difficult time, we ask for privacy as we come together as a family to honor and remember Marshawn's life and legacy."
In a statement released on Thursday, Marshawn's former defensive line coach at Western Michigan, Lou Esposito, said he and Marshawn had recently made plans to get together this past weekend during the Cowboys' bye week. Sadly, those plans never came to fruition.
"I got to congratulate Marshawn on his first career touchdown on Monday night," Esposito said. "My heart aches as that will be the last conversation that we have together. It's hard to put into words how much Marshawn means to me and my family. He was family to us and we have so many fond memories of our time together."
Marshawn recorded the first touchdown of his NFL career on Monday, November 3, when he recovered a blocked punt in the end zone during Dallas' game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football.
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