Marshawn Kneeland, the NFL pro who died last Thursday at just 24, was going to be a father.
His Dallas Cowboys coach, Brian Schottenheimer, confirmed during a Wednesday press conference that Kneeland’s girlfriend, Catalina Marcena, is pregnant.
Schottenheimer noted that Kneeland’s family has established the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund to provide for Marcena and their child in his absence, per The Dallas Morning News. “We want to make sure she’s taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer shared.
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Marshawn Kneeland on the field in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024
Authorities in Frisco, Texas, discovered Kneeland dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thursday. A police report released the same day detailed how a call for assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety led to a pursuit by vehicle that eventually added canines and drones after Kneeland fled on foot. The report cited “information” received by police that Kneeland had “expressed suicidal ideations” before they discovered his body at approximately 1:31 a.m.
Just days before his death, the second-year defensive end who wore No. 94 on the field scored his first NFL touchdown during the Cowboys’ showdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
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The Dallas Morning News noted that Kneeland and Marcena began dating during his second year at Western Michigan University. She helped the footballer persevere through the death of his mother and recently founded the athletic apparel brand SZN Stitches.
Marcena finally spoke about her partner’s death in a Facebook post on Monday. Over a smiling photo of herself with Kneeland, she wrote, “My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you’re my everything. I’ll love you forever my beautiful angel.”
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Marshawn Kneeland plays against the Los Angeles Rams in 2024
The official description of the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund praises the pro’s “work ethic, kindness, and emerging impact on the field,” and quotes his fellow Cowboys, who describe him as a “beloved teammate.” Others shared tributes that emphasized his work ethic, kindness, and emerging impact on the field.
“Kneeland’s path to the NFL resonated beyond football. He entered the league months after the death of his mother, Wendy, whose memory he honored publicly as he began his pro career by wearing a necklace with a small urn containing her ashes,” the Fund continues. “Loved ones and former coaches remembered him as resilient, grounded, and optimistic.”
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