Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and the rest of the team's coaching staff wore shirts with Kneeland's face on them during Monday night's win over the Raiders. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Dak Prescott had the words “One Love” written on his wrist tape for Monday night’s matchup against the Raiders. It was his way of honoring Cowboys teammate Marshawn Kneeland during the team’s first game since the second-year defensive end tragically took his own life from an apparent self-inflected gunshot wound. He was only 24.
I apologize in advance if I was too frank with how Kneeland died. I don’t mean to be disrespectful. I just no longer want suicide to be a difficult conversation. It’s time we stop shying away from the topic. There’s no shame in asking for help. And there should absolutely be no shame in revealing that a loved one died by suicide.
The Cowboys proudly honored their teammate and had no shame in discussing how to prevent suicide. Wide receiver Ryan Flournoy held high Kneeland’s No. 94 jersey after the Cowboys defeated the Raiders, 33–16. I can only imagine the pain Kneeland’s teammates played with, but Prescott said in his postgame interview that healing happens for him on the football field. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer walked with confidence and had his players ready under the most daunting circumstances. The Cowboys aren’t fine, but you knew they were going to be O.K. under Schottenheimer’s guidance because of how he found the strength to share the precise words to describe Kneeland as a person and player the first time he spoke to the media after his death.
“[We don’t move on](https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys-coach-reflects-late-marshawn-kneeland-life-emotional-statement), but we do move forward,” Schottenheimer said.
The Cowboys wore shirts with a picture of Kneeland to remember their teammate who loved to say the phrase “One Love.” They were proud to call him a teammate and a member of the organization because of how caring he was for others. Constantly reminding those around you to have universal love and respect for all people might be the best way to remember Kneeland. We’ve all heard the saying of being kind because you don’t know what someone is going through. But let’s take it a step further by demonstrating the willingness of actually listening to what someone is going through and not just being programmed to say “how’s your day going” and automatically responding “fine.”
I’m not exactly sure what’s the best method for getting those around you to share their feelings and those who need it to seek help. Maybe I’m still stuck on how I could have helped my childhood friend who died from suicide in 2021. I often remember the signs that I missed and think about what I could have done differently. I’m sure those within the Cowboys organization have constantly thought the same since Kneeland died 11 days ago and it probably wasn’t easy seeing his face everywhere Monday night and wishing he was there in person next to them on the football field.
But there’s not much good that comes from thinking that way. And there’s definitely no point in playing the blame game either. Everyone grieves differently, but it helped me to talk proudly about my childhood friend. Initially, I worried about what people would think when sharing that he died by suicide. That eventually went away and made it my priority to do better with expressing my feelings and checking on my loved ones.
Kneeland was described as a person who often smiled and made others laugh. But he also hurt inside after his mother and grandfather, two of his most influential people, died not long before he achieved his football dreams as a 2024 second-round pick out of Western Michigan.
To steal Schottenheimer’s words, we don’t move on, but we do move forward. That's exactly what the Cowboys did by putting their best foot forward in Monday night’s win. The Raiders did the same by honoring Kneeland and sporting shirts that had the 9–8–8 suicide hotline on the back.
Kneeland also did his best to move forward despite all his mental challenges. He made it to the NFL and made an impact for the Cowboys on the field and off of it
The Cowboys proudly honored Kneeland and never shied away about how he died. Football is ultimately just a game, but hopefully the platform that the Cowboys and Raiders had Monday night will lead to more discussion about suicide prevention.
It’s O.K. to not be O.K. It’s fine to talk about not being fine. All we can do is move forward and express One Love.
Published 5 Minutes Ago|Modified 12:15 AM EST