Marshawn Kneeland was a talented and promising young athlete who died unexpectedly in November 2025. Police are investigating the NFL player’s death as a suicide committed during a police chase.

This police chase death hits especially hard for me because Kneeland was born in Michigan, where I live. He was not only born in Grand Rapids but also got his start playing at Western Michigan University. He was a talented athlete who many said had a future in the NFL.

Two months after his mother died unexpectedly, Kneeland was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as a defensive end. He wore her ashes in a necklace for the rest of his life.

A bright career cut short

Kneeland moved to Plano, Texas, and became a “beloved teammate” on the Dallas team. In 2024, he made 14 tackles across 11 games before being injured. In 2025, he recovered a blocked punt and scored his first-ever touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.

Two days later, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) initiated a traffic stop for a violation. Kneeland fled. Troopers chased him but soon lost sight of his vehicle. He crashed at 10:30 p.m. on the Dallas Parkway in Frisco, Texas.

Three hours later, DPS aircraft found his body. Officials said he died “from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

It’s unclear what happened between the crash and his death. Did Kneeland flee through the woods? Did the DPS pursue him? Were shots exchanged? Or did he take his own life in despair, with no police officer in sight? We’ll have to wait for more information.

With an NFL star dead, the public asks questions

If the only charges Kneeland faced were traffic violations, his career and life were far from over. I wish he’d chosen to trust the police. But just last year, the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill was pulled from his car, handcuffed, and pinned to the ground during a reckless driving traffic stop. He was later released with no charges.

This tragedy comes as many across the country question police protocol for vehicle pursuits. John Oliver, host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight, devoted the first episode of November to police chases. He urged lawmakers to pass nationwide guidelines on when officers pursue a suspect and when to record the license plate and let a minor offender go, confident they can follow up later. The U.S. may pass such reform—but too late for Marshawn Kneeland.

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