This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
With the Dallas Cowboys in the midst of their bye week, there had been limited public reaction from their players in the aftermath of Thursday morning’s announcement that defensive end Marshawn Kneeland had died.
That changed Thursday evening, when the team’s most prominent figure, aside from owner Jerry Jones, spoke about his fallen teammate.
‘It’s been a very tough day,’ quarterback and team captain Dak Prescott told CBS News Texas from a ceremony at his high school in Haughton, Louisiana.
‘Tragic loss. I hurt. Heavy, heavy heart today. I hurt for Marshawn. I hurt for his family. I hurt for his girlfriend. I hurt for every single one of my teammates. It’s just a pain that you don’t wish upon anybody. You wish none of us had to go through this. You wish Marshawn didn’t have to go through what he went through. Just thankful for each moment we have in this life and don’t take it for granted.’
The Frisco (Texas) Police Department is investigating Kneeland’s death as a ‘possible suicide,’ saying he suffered an ‘apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound’ after leading police on a vehicular chase outside of Dallas and ‘had expressed suicidal ideations.’
Prescott’s older brother, Jace, died by suicide five years ago.
‘It’s OK to feel however you’re feeling. And I’ll tell you, first and foremost, I don’t always have the answers. And today is not a day that I felt like I had answers. Triggering day for many reasons,’ continued Prescott. ‘Hard to balance my emotions today.’
Prescott shared that the Cowboys convened Thursday on a Zoom call, which provided them a forum to speak and share emotions.
‘Tough moment for this team. As I said, I feel and hurt for everybody that’s involved in this and Marshawn’s family and loved ones.
The Cowboys don’t play again until Nov. 17, a Monday night date with the Raiders in Las Vegas.