Dallas Cowboys launch fund for girlfriend and preborn baby of Marshawn Kneeland

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has announced a team memorial fund, established to provide for the late Marshawn Kneeland's longtime girlfriend Catalina Mancera and their preborn child.

Key Takeaways:

• On November 6, Kneeland was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a police pursuit after he failed to stop for a traffic violation. His girlfriend had called police and told them he was armed, had a history of mental illness, and was suicidal.

• Cowboys coach Schottenheimer announced the team has created the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, which is intended to financially support Mancera and their preborn baby.

The Backstory:

According to the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland committed suicide near the Cowboys' athletic facility after a police chase. He was 24 years old.

At 10:30 pm, police tried to stop Kneeland for a traffic violation, and he refused. A police chase began, but officers lost sight of Kneeland's vehicle. At some point, they were able to make contact with Kneeland's girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, who had called police in an apparent desperate effort to save his life. She informed law enforcement that Kneeland was armed, had a history of mental illness, and wanted to "end it all."

Family members stated that they began receiving text messages from Kneeland, telling them goodbye. Kneeland's mother, Wendy, passed away in 2024, and some speculate that the loss may have contributed to his mental health struggles.

Some time after police lost sight of Kneeland's vehicle, they located it; it had been wrecked. At 1:30 am, police found his body. He had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Details:

During a press conference, Schottenheimer confirmed that Kneeland's longtime girlfriend Mancera is pregnant, and that the team has decided to help support her and their child.

"We want to make sure she's taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives," Scottenheimer said. "Our guys are — it's very important to them, and to us."

The team has since launched the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund. Proceeds will go to Mancera. Upon donating, viewers receive a message saying, "The Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving Marshawn's legacy and extending his impact through direct support for his surviving partner and unborn heir."

Mancera has remained largely out of the spotlight since Kneeland's passing.

“I’m grieving hard right now. It will be a long time before I’ll feel ready to talk at any length," she said, adding that she didn't know yet when the funeral would be or what arrangements would be made.

On Facebook, she shared a photo of the two together, writing,

my sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you’re my everything. I’ll love you forever my beautiful angel

"We don't move on," Schottenheimer said. "But we do move forward."

The Bottom Line:

Nothing can ever take away the pain of Mancera's loss, but she and her preborn child have a community around them to provide support as they heal from the pain of Kneeland's death.