Marshawn Kneeland's suicide death brings scary memories for Dak Prescott; ‘triggering day’

Prescott opens up about grief and mental health after teammate Marshawn Kneeland's apparent suicide

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has described the death of rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland as a “triggering day,” revealing how the tragedy reminded him of his own brother Jace Prescott, who died by suicide in 2020.

Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (4) signals at the line of scrimmage in the first half vs Philadelphia Eagles (AP)

Prescott, who spoke to CBS News Texas at an event in his hometown of Haughton, Louisiana, said the loss had shaken him deeply. “It’s been a very tough day. I hurt for Marshawn, his family, his girlfriend, and my teammates,” Prescott said. “It’s a pain you don’t wish upon anybody.”

Prescott trigger roots personal

For Prescott, the news cut especially deep. His brother Jace’s suicide five years ago.

“It’s OK to feel however you’re feeling,” Prescott said. “I don’t always have the answers, and today is not a day I felt like I had any. It’s hard to balance my emotions.”

To address the loss, the Cowboys held a team-wide Zoom call after the announcement, allowing players to share their grief and memories of Kneeland. “It was a tough moment for this team,” Prescott said. “I hurt for everybody involved.”

Kneeland's possible suicide

Authorities in Frisco, Texas, confirmed that Kneeland’s death is being investigated as a possible suicide after police reported that the 22-year-old suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following a brief vehicular chase outside Dallas. According to a police statement, Kneeland had “expressed suicidal ideations” prior to the incident.

However, in recent reports, Kneeland's family blames the police for his death. Jasmine Kneeland, his first cousin, told Daily Mail, “He is not a hot head. Something here is just not right. Something made him really scared, and he ran….they killed him.”

The Cowboys, currently on a bye week, are scheduled to return to action on November 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders.