The Mental Health Crisis Continues

I was leaving the gym on Thursday November 6th when I got the notification from ESPN about the death of Marshawn Kneeland. He was only 24. It came as a shock not just because of his age but him being a player for the Dallas Cowboys. I live 10 minutes from Cowboys stadium and even though I have never been a Cowboys fan, being raised in Mansfield/Arlington passionate Cowboy fans are everywhere. What made it surprising is the Dallas Cowboys were on Monday night football days before against the Arizona Cardinals in which Kneeland returned a block field goal for a touchdown.

It was his first ever touchdown and the celebration was amazing not just for him but also for his teammates. 3 days later he was dead by suicide. You never know what people are going through even when they feel on top of the world. The demons are hard to fight and no matter how much people have or how much they try to push it aside, one thing we can never escape is our mind. Marshawn had a history of mental health illness according to his girlfriend and his mother passed away in February 2024 from an undisclosed illness 2 days before he was drafted to the NFL by the Cowboys.

It was said that he always carried his mother’s ashes with him in a necklace which showed how close they were and losing someone like that is not easy to withstand. I have written about mental health multiple times on this blog and with me working in the mental health field I have been able to see first-hand and share some stories about what people battle through on the daily that we may not notice. It may be the person next you at that grocery store or even a family member. Marshawn with his history of dealing with his mental health had mentioned to his girlfriend that he would end it all. He had also sent a group message to his loved ones saying "Goodbye" which prompted them to call in a welfare check.

Frisco PD searched for his car and found it abandoned after he crashed it. He was later found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he fled on foot from the scene of the crash. It is very sad and prayers out to his family and loved ones. The Dallas Cowboys lost one of their own and for the rest of the season played with a higher purpose than themselves. They do everything in remembrance of their teammate. It was also revealed that his girlfriend is pregnant with their first child after his passing. I'm hoping they get all the love and support needed and their child grows to continue the legacy of Kneeland. The Dallas Cowboys have been able to establish a memorial fund for his girlfriend which offers long term financial support. The strongest battle we face is the one with our mind and it is a struggle every day, but the war can be won by getting help and letting people know what we're going through because none of us can do it alone.