07/07/26 02:26:00
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07/07 14:25 CDT Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kneeland had early stage
CTE at time of death
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kneeland had early stage CTE at time of
death
By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) --- Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland,
who died by suicide in November 2025 after a high-speed chase with police, had
early stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain abnormality linked to
repeated head trauma, his family announced Tuesday.
The Boston University CTE Center, which investigates the long-term consequences
of repetitive brain trauma in athletes and others, analyzed Kneeland's brain
tissue after his death. Researchers determined Kneeland, who was 24, was in
stage one of four of CTE.
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EDITOR'S NOTE --- This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone
you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is
available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at
988lifeline.org
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CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in athletes in contact
sports, combat veterans and others who experience repetitive blows to the head.
It has been known to cause violent mood swings, impulsive behavior and
depression. It can be diagnosed only after death.
"While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides
important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share
this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact
sport athletes might be struggling with," Kneeland's family, including his
girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, said in a statement issued through the Concussion
and CTE Foundation.
"Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with
compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments
of his life. One Love," the family said.
The abnormality has also been linked to deaths in the National Football League,
as well as in hockey and soccer.
Kneeland shot himself after evading authorities in his vehicle and fleeing a
car crash on foot.
The chase happened after police said Kneeland didn't stop for Texas Department
of Public Safety troopers over a traffic violation. Authorities lost sight of
the vehicle before locating it crashed minutes later.
As authorities were looking for Kneeland after he fled the crash site on foot,
a dispatcher told officers that people who knew him had received a group text
from Kneeland "saying goodbye," indicating he might be suicidal.
According to a 2021 study by the Harvard Medical School and the Boston
University CTE Center, NFL players are more than four times more likely to
develop ALS than other men.
Dr. Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation, noted Kneeland's
diagnosis comes even amid a modern era of concussion protocols in professional
and college athletics and better safety equipment.
Kneeland started playing tackle football when he was 7 years old. He played at
Western Michigan University before he was selected by the Cowboys in the second
round of the 2024 NFL draft.
"We have no reason to believe the current generation is at a lower risk of CTE
than previous generations. Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE, because CTE
is caused by repeated head impacts, not just concussions," Nowinski said. "If
we want to reduce CTE risk, we must implement CTE prevention protocols and
aggressively reduce the number and strength of head impacts at every level of
the game."
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