During a police chase Wednesday night, a car driven by Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland crashed into a truck, before Kneeland abandoned his car and took his own life, according to information released Friday.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Josue De La Cerda, Kneeland’s car crashed into a pickup. The driver of the truck was not injured, De La Cerda said.
After the crash, Kneeland abandoned his car in a field adjacent to the southbound lanes of the Dallas North Tollway access road.
The time of the crash is unclear. DPS said the chase began at about 10:33 p.m. Wednesday, when troopers attempted to stop Kneeland’s car for a traffic violation in the northbound lanes of the tollway near Keller Springs Road in Addison. Troopers later lost sight of Kneeland’s vehicle, and Frisco police said its officers responded to a request for help from DPS to locate him about 10:39 p.m.
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It is unclear how fast Kneeland was believed to be driving or for what traffic violation he was being stopped. Officials declined comment when asked and directed reporters with The Dallas Morning News to file open records requests.
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A full crash report was not available midday Friday.
Kneeland’s car was found abandoned near Warren Parkway in Frisco, about 10 miles from where the chase began. This location is less than a mile from The Star, the Cowboys’ headquarters and practice facility.
According to the 911 dispatch audio obtained by The News, Kneeland’s girlfriend had called police at about 11:30 p.m. to report that Kneeland had a history of mental illness and had said “he will end it all.” The NFL had also contacted police to tell them Kneeland had texted his family goodbye.
According to the audio, Kneeland’s body was found by police in a portable restroom at about 1:30 a.m., several hours after the pursuit and crash.
According to the audio, his body was found near the intersection of Network Boulevard and Gaylord Parkway, which is near the crash site and about a half-mile from The Star. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The death of Kneeland, 24, has come as a shock to the football world, as many across the NCAA and NFL have expressed grief over his death.
A Thursday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders featured a moment of silence in Kneeland’s honor, and the Dallas Stars also honored him before a game Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks. At The Star, a jumbotron outside the Ford Center showed a picture of Kneeland next to the team’s statement about his death.
The Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks and fans observe a moment of silence in memory of Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland before an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Tony Gutierrez / AP
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Those who knew Kneeland personally described him as a hard worker with an infectious smile.
The defensive end was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He played college football at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Kneeland dealt with personal tragedy when his mother, Wendy, died while he was training for the draft. He kept her ashes in a small urn around his neck.
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Just two days before his death, Kneeland scored his first and only NFL touchdown in a 27-17 loss against the Arizona Cardinals in a Monday Night Football game at AT&T Stadium. Late in the second quarter, Kneeland recovered a block punt in the end zone, scoring the Cowboys’ first points of the game.
Staff writer Angela Mathew contributed to this report.
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland (94) recovers a punt block in the end zone for a touchdown during a NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
Matt Patterson / AP