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Jerry Jones Speaks Out On Tragic Death Of Marshawn Kneeland

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Nov 11, 2025 11:28 AM ET

The tragic death of Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland last week took everyone by surprise, including his boss.

Appearing on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas today, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he was left "devastated" by the news of what happened to Kneeland. He said that Kneeland "touched everybody in many different ways" and was a great teammate.

"Devastated. Hard to believe," Jones said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It was in the middle of the night when we all got the news. ... As a teammate, (Kneeland) touched everybody in many different ways. "It's just a time when you acknowledge there are no answers. It makes you want to live life to the fullest. His death is such a national awareness thing. ... There's no doubt in my mind that (the team will move forward) in memory of what he was all about. He was very unique in his passion for the game."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan speaking for the first time about the death of Marshawn Kneeland: "Devastated. Hard to believe. It was in the middle of the night when we all got the news. ... As a teammate, (Kneeland) touched everybody in many different ways.

"It's just…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 11, 2025

Kneeland's Career and Passing

Kneeland was a defensive end who entered the NFL as a second-round pick (56th overall) by the Cowboys in the 2024 NFL Draft after a standout collegiate career at Western Michigan. He appeared in 18 games across his two seasons, recording 26 total tackles and 1 sack.

Tragically, Kneeland passed away on November 5, 2025, at the age of 24. According to law‐enforcement reports, his death came after a police pursuit of his vehicle, a subsequent crash, and then his body was found from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, with investigators treating the case as a likely suicide. His passing has prompted an outpouring of grief from teammates, his alma mater, the Cowboys organization, and the wider NFL community.

Marshawn Kneeland on the field.© Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Cowboys were on a bye this week. They will return to action this coming Monday on the road against the Las Vegas Raiders. They will not be back at AT&T Stadium until November 23 for their home tilt against the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

No doubt there will be plenty of tributes to Kneeland paid over those two games.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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