Marshawn Kneeland's team is rallying around his family.
One week after the Dallas Cowboys defensive end died by apparent suicide, head coach Brian Schottenheimer shared how the NFL team plans to support Kneeland's pregnant girlfriend Catalina Mancera.
"We've started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, where we can all give and support Catalina," he shared at a Nov. 12 Cowboys press conference. "She's pregnant, and so we want to make sure she's taken care of and the baby's taken care of for the rest of their lives."
"Our guys, it's very important to them and to us," Schottenheimer emphasized. "He's still part of the team."
As the Cowboys continue to navigate the 24-year-old's death, the coach shared insight into the resources from grief experts.
"It's a process," he said, noting that since the team had a bye week, the players were not close by. "You're making phone calls to people and you're trying to make sense of things. You're not together. We're always going to be stronger together."
"Monday, we set it up where we had a chance to be together and share and talk," he explained. "We, of course, offered some people that can help us sort through what we're feeling."
Along with prioritizing time together as a team, Schottenheimer spoke to the importance of the Nov. 11 vigil held in Kneeland's honor.
"The vigil was beautifully done," he said. "It was difficult, as you can imagine. A couple of players spoke. It's the one thing that Catalina, his girlfriend—that was very important to her. Of course, these guys are incredible and so they showed up in droves to be there to support her."
For Mancera's part, she shared her own heartfelt tribute to Kneeland.
"My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel," she wrote on Facebook Nov. 10 alongside a selfie of them. "You're my everything. I'll love you forever my beautiful angel."
On Nov. 6, Kneeland's body was found shortly after he crashed his car during a pursuit with Texas police the night before. He fled the scene on foot, according to a press release by local authorities.
For a look back at Kneeland's life in photos, keep reading.
Promising Talent
Marshawn Kneeland's football career started long before his time at the NFL.
During his senior year of high school in Michigan, Marshawn achieved an impressive 110 tackles and eight sacks on defense as well as 20 receptions for 330 yards and five touchdowns on offense.
A Rising Star
After graduating, Marshawn committed to Western Michigan University, where he achieved 149 tackles and 12.5 sacks across his four years.
A Standout Player
During his time at the school, the athlete's work ethic helped him stand out, going to the team's facilities as often as he could to train and watch game footage.
As his coach David Denham put it, "That's when you started to see the gradual separation between him and some of the other guys."
Reaching New Heights
Marshawn was the Dallas Cowboys' second-round pick in 2024, the team owner Jerry Jones telling him at the time, "Marshawn, we're gonna put a star on that helmet."
For the young athlete, he tried to soak up every moment. "It's a once in a lifetime experience for me," he said of draft night, "so I'm just excited to be here."
Preparing for the Big Leagues
Marshawn's work ethic stuck with him as he transitioned into the NFL, preparing for his first season with the team.
The Next Chapter
As for how he was approaching the NFL, Marshawn just wanted to stick to his game plan.
"I'm going to be the same type of player I've always been," he said after being drafted. "Physical, fast, high-fitness, high-effort, high-motor. It's basically going to come down to making plays."
Putting in the Work
Throughout his almost two seasons on the Texas team, the 24-year-old amassed 26 tackles and one sack across 18 games, including four starts.
Milestone Achievement
Just days before his death, Marshawn scored his first touchdown in the league.
As his agent Jonathan Perzley said of the player following his death, "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.”