Marshawn Kneeland's girlfriend knew something was terribly wrong.
She called police with a desperate warning about the Dallas Cowboys star.
And girlfriend’s chilling detail about Marshawn Kneeland's final message that has the NFL world shaken.
Girlfriend's terrifying call to police revealed the truth
When Catalina called 911 Wednesday night, her voice carried the weight of someone who knew she was losing the man she loved.
Police dispatch audio obtained by TMZ Sports revealed the horrifying details of what Kneeland's girlfriend told authorities.¹
She warned operators that the 24-year-old Cowboys defensive end was armed and had a history of mental health issues.
Then came the words that would haunt everyone who heard them.
Catalina told police that Kneeland would "end it all."
She desperately contacted his agent while trying to reach the troubled player herself.
But by then, it was already too late.
The NFL itself had to call Plano Police Department about one of its players, stating the "subject is texting his family goodbye."²
Kneeland had sent final messages to his family before leading police on a chase that would end in tragedy.
Tragedy strikes after career-high moment
The timing of Kneeland's death makes it even more heartbreaking.
Just three days earlier, on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals, Kneeland had scored his first NFL touchdown.
He recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for the touchdown, celebrating with linebacker Sam Williams who had blocked the punt.⁴
The moment should have been the start of something special for the young defender.
Instead, it became his final highlight.
Kneeland was a second-round pick out of Western Michigan in the 2024 NFL Draft, selected 56th overall by the Cowboys.
He appeared in 11 games as a rookie in 2024 despite missing six games due to injury.
This season, Kneeland was finally hitting his stride — seven games, three starts, 15 tackles and his first career sack.⁵
The family tragedy that broke him
You want to understand what really destroyed Marshawn Kneeland? It started in February.
His mother Wendy died without warning, just two months before the NFL Draft — right when his lifelong dream was finally within reach.
Talk about cruel timing.
In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Kneeland revealed he carried a small urn of his mother's ashes around his neck everywhere he went.⁶
"It was definitely tough. I just managed it," Kneeland said about his mother's death. "She helped me a lot in my younger years getting into football. I always had the dream. I always told her, 'I'm going to the NFL,' and I made it."
"It's a hard situation just knowing she got to see me potentially going to the NFL and going through the process. She's still with me. I got this urn of her ashes, I carry with me everywhere. I still feel like she's there watching over me."
The back-to-back family tragedies have left Kneeland's loved ones, including his girlfriend Catalina, reeling from unimaginable grief.
Mental health crisis plaguing young athletes
Kneeland's death has reignited discussions about the mental health crisis facing professional athletes, particularly young players.
Despite common perceptions, research shows that NFL players actually have lower suicide rates than the general population.
A Centers for Disease Control study found that from 1979 to 2013, retired NFL players who played at least five seasons had 12 suicide deaths compared to 25 that would be expected in the general population.⁷
But that doesn't tell the whole story for current players dealing with the pressures of professional sports.
Since 2009, there has been a concerning spike in suicides among current and former professional football players, with 42.3% of all documented cases occurring since then.⁸
The NFL and NFL Players Association both immediately increased mental health support resources for Cowboys players and across the league following Kneeland's death.⁹
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the passing of Cowboys' Marshawn Kneeland," the NFL said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his girlfriend Catalina, family, friends and his teammates. We have been in contact with the Cowboys and have offered support and counseling resources."
But here's what really gets you angry about this whole thing.
Why this keeps happening to young men
Look, everybody wants to talk about "unprecedented pressures" on athletes.
That's not what killed Marshawn Kneeland.
Here's a 24-year-old who lost the most important person in his life right when he should have been celebrating the biggest achievement of his career.
Athletes don't get time to grieve properly. They're expected to perform, to smile, to be grateful for their opportunities while their world is falling apart.
Kneeland had everything people said he should want — NFL paycheck, teammates who respected him, his childhood dream fulfilled.
None of that mattered when he was alone with his grief over losing his mother.
The kid carried her ashes around his neck and still couldn't shake the pain.
His agent, Jonathan Perzley, described Kneeland's death as "a pain I can hardly put into words."
"I watched him fight his way from a hopeful kid at Western Michigan with a dream to being a respected professional for the Dallas Cowboys," Perzley said. "Marshawn poured his heart into every snap, every practice, and every moment on the field."
Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer remembered Kneeland as "a great person, eager to learn" who "wanted to be great."
"He was tough, didn't take crap from anybody on the field. Always studying, always trying to get better," Zimmer said.
You can't fix heartbreak with success.
That's what Marshawn Kneeland's story teaches us.
The NFL lost a promising young player who just couldn't carry the weight of losing his mother while everyone expected him to keep performing like nothing happened.
¹ Nick Harris, "Dallas Cowboys Announce Death of 24-Year-Old Marshawn Kneeland," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 6, 2025.
² TMZ Sports, "Marshawn Kneeland Texted Family Goodbye, GF Told Cops He'd 'End It All,' Dispatch Audio," November 6, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Dallas Cowboys Official Website, "Marshawn Kneeland passes away at age 24," November 6, 2025.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Dallas Morning News, "Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland dies by suicide after police chase," November 6, 2025.
⁷ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "CDC study: Former NFL players not at increased risk of suicide," May 10, 2016.
⁸ PubMed, "Suicide in professional American football players in the past 95 years," December 2016.
⁹ Dallas Morning News, "NFL, NFLPA to boost mental health resources in wake of Marshawn Kneeland's death," November 6, 2025.
