Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the recent death of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland on Wednesday, speaking publicly for the first time since the 24-year-old’s passing last week.
The Cowboys (3–5–1) are coming off their Week 10 bye and will face the Las Vegas Raiders (2–7) on Monday Night Football at Allegiant Stadium on Nov. 17. But before shifting focus to football, Schottenheimer opened his press conference with an emotional tribute to the young player whose loss has deeply affected the team.
“I’d like to just take a few moments and offer my condolences to Marshawn’s family, Catalina, his girlfriend,” Schottenheimer said. “We had an opportunity last night to celebrate Marshawn’s life — tell some stories, share, laugh, cry. Marshawn loved the words, one love, so we talked a lot about love as we grieve and I just had the chance to really share a couple of things that I’ll miss the most about Marshawn. Those top couple of things was he had the most playful spirit of any young man I’ve been around, his smile could take you to your knees, and in terms of him as an athlete – nobody had a better motor than him.”
Schotty on the loss of Marshawn Kneeland 💙 pic.twitter.com/WSd4SWZE5T
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 12, 2025
Brian Schottenheimer calls on the Cowboys in honoring Marshawn Kneeland’s memory
Kneeland, a second-year defensive end drafted by Dallas in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan, was found dead last week in what authorities confirmed as a suicide. The tragedy occurred days after Kneeland scored his first career touchdown in the Cowboys’ 27–17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football.
The Cowboys held a private team gathering Tuesday evening to honor Kneeland’s memory, where teammates and staff shared stories about his personality, work ethic, and infectious energy around the locker room.
Schottenheimer, who took over as head coach this season, emphasized the impact Kneeland had in a short time with the organization and the importance of leaning on one another in the aftermath.
“So my heart is heavy. Our team’s heart is heavy… we don’t move on, but we do move forward,” Schottenheimer said in closing.
The Cowboys will now return to practice later this week as they prepare for their upcoming game against the Raiders. Players and coaches continue to express their condolences to Kneeland’s family and have reiterated their commitment to supporting one another as they navigate the emotional loss of a teammate and friend.
