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Football is not just a team sport, but a family sport that helps unite everyone as a whole.
The Dallas Cowboys continue to process through and mourn the loss of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, whose tragic death last week left the organization and entire NFL world heartbroken but united in support as one for his family and loved ones.
The 24-year-old Kneeland tragically passed away on November 6 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which Frisco police ruled as a possible suicide.
On Wednesday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed reporters for the first time since the tragedy, his voice heavy with emotion as he reflected on Kneeland’s life, the love surrounding his memory, and the strength the team has drawn from coming together.
“I want to offer my condolences to Marshawn’s family, Catalina, his girlfriend and we had an opportunity last night to celebrate Marshawn’s life,” Schottenheimer began. “We told some stories, share, laugh, cry. Marshawn loved the words: One Love. So we talked a lot about love as we grieve. I got a chance to really share a couple of things that I miss the most about Marshawn. A couple of things he had the most playful spirit of any young man I’ve been around. His smile could take you to your knees. In terms of him as an athlete, no one had a better motor than him. So my heart is heavy, our team’s heart is heavy. We don’t move on, but we do move forward.”
Throughout the week, Schottenheimer has discussed, the importance of love, faith, and community in helping players and staff cope with the loss.
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He expressed deep appreciation for the outpouring of support from across the NFL, describing the league as a family that stands together in times of pain.
“Yeah, this is a special league. We’re blessed to be a part of this league,” he said. “The outpouring of support for not just me but our players and ownership, that’s what we love about this league. That’s what we love about this small fraternity of people that we get to be involved with.
“If I could show you my phone right now, just the text messages you get from people just showing you love and support and prayer. That’s a big thing for me right now. I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer, looking for answers. But the National Football League is an amazing fraternity and I feel blessed and I know our players do too because of the support that we’re receiving.
“We do this together. We don’t move on, but we do move forward. And we do that together. And we do that by locking arms and working and grieving and growing and processing together.”
In the days after the tragedy, the Cowboys have prioritized their players’ mental and emotional well-being, bringing in grief counselors and specialists to offer support.
Schottenheimer said the organization has left no resource untapped as players work through the shock and sorrow in their own ways.
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“I don’t want to get into specifics, details, but believe me there’s a team of people,” he said. “I think we’ve had seven grief specialists in the building the other day for those breakout sessions, talking to the players, letting them share.
“As you can imagine, some guys are more open right now than others. Some guys it’s still very raw. Some guys, they don’t want to speak or share. We’re asking the right questions to get them to share, so we can help process all the different emotions, but it’s been incredible the support system that we’ve had.
“Just from our operations people, to the support staff, to the doctors and trainers, to people that have reached out. It’s nonstop. We want for nothing. But we still miss our brother, Marshawn.”
That support, through an incredible gesture from the organization, has extended to Kneeland’s loved ones as well.
Schottenheimer informed to reporters on the creation of the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, which was established to support his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, and their unborn child to ensure that they are set up for life and taken care of.
“We are going to honor Marshawn and his family in a number of different ways,” he said. “The organization has been amazing. We have started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund where we can all give to support Catalina. She is pregnant. We want to make sure she is taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives. It is very important to our guys and to us.”
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Schottenheimer also shared a story during a memorial vigil on Tuesday, that reflected on who Kneeland was beyond football.
“His high school coach is a guy by the name of Brandon Kimble,” he said. “In Marshawn’s survey that he filled out, we asked for the three H’s: Hero, Highlight, Hardship. His hero was Coach Kimble, and Coach Kimble spoke last night. I got a chance to visit with him. Very emotional.
“His reasoning for that Coach Kimble was his hero was because he always looked out for him. I think it shows you as a coach, I thanked him number-one for that. I challenged our coaches to understand the impact that we’re allowed and blessed and fortunate to have to bless these young men, and not just as football players, but as husbands, fathers, Christians.
“I think the fact that he chose his high school coach shows you the value of relationships to Marshawn and how much he loves the game of football, and how much he loved people.”
The league has continued to provide support, with grief counselors remaining available as the team prepares to return to practice and prepare for its Week 11 matchup vs. the Las Vegas Raiders.
Simply getting back on the field could provide some comfort for players looking for normalcy.
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“Yes, they’re still in the building,” he said. “The league’s been great. Our in-house people have been outstanding. We’re doing it together. We feel like we got incredible support, but at the same time, it’s us working through this together and showing us grace.
“We’re a week out, today is a week out. It’s not going to get easier, it’s going to get different. I think the plan of getting out on the grass tomorrow and running around a little bit will be therapeutic for some of these guys. For some of the guys that are hurting, that’s OK too.”
No two players understand the pain and heartbreak more than Dak Prescott and Solomon Thomas, who have each dealt with the loss of loved ones through mental health issues. Both players have helped guide teammates through the grieving process.
“Those are two of the best leaders in the league, in my opinion,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re fortunate to have them. Unfortunately, they’re able to talk about something that has been very devastating for them in their past. It’s not just them.
“We were able to have some breakout sessions on Monday where we were able to share. There was a lot of emotions. It was hard to hear the pain that some of these guys are dealing with, but it was also very uplifting to hear the strength from other guys.
“That’s the beauty of a team. One side of the ball is playing good, the other side of the ball has to pick them up. When one guy is hurting, someone else has to pick them up. If the head coach is hurting, someone’s got to pick me up. And I’m hurting. I’m hurting. And these guys have picked me up, and I’ve picked them up. That’s what we’re going to continue to do because we love one another. It’s what a family does.”
Through every word, Schottenheimer’s message was one of unity, compassion, and faith, that while the Cowboys may never move on from the loss of Marshawn Kneeland, they will move forward together, bound by love and the memory of a teammate whose spirit continues to lift them.
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