Marshawn Kneeland’s girlfriend reveals pregnancy weeks after NFL player’s death

The Cowboys established the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund in his honor, aiming to help support Mancera and the couple’s unborn child.

Marshawn Kneeland was a soon-to-be father.

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed the news on Wednesday (Nov. 12), announcing that Kneeland’s girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is pregnant with the couple’s first child together, weeks after Kneeland took his own life at the age of 24.

The Cowboys established the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund in his honor, aiming to help support Mancera and the couple’s unborn child.

“We want to make sure she’s taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer said.

According to ESPN, Cable Johnson, the Cowboys’ director of security, called law enforcement and requested that they conduct a welfare check on the second-year player. He also informed police that Kneeland texted him on the night of his death, telling him that he didn’t want to go to jail. 

“He sent out some group texts that are concerning — probably mental health — but the group texts seemed to be saying goodbye — made some statement about not able to go to prison or to jail,” Johnson told Plano police dispatch, according to audio obtained by ESPN through a public records request.

On Monday (Nov. 10), Mancera wrote a touching tribute to Kneeland on Facebook.

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

Mancera alerted authorities last week about Kneeland’s suicidal ideations and informed them he was armed with a gun. According to officers, Kneeland was involved in a brief police chase near The Star, the Cowboys’ headquarters, where he crashed into a pickup truck before fleeing on foot.

Kneeland’s body was found around 1:31 a.m. on Thursday (Nov. 6).

The Cowboys released a statement about Kneeland’s death, writing, “It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning. Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

The team plans to honor Kneeland on the field for the remainder of the season with a helmet decal. During games on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday, NFL stadiums observed a moment of silence in honor of Kneeland.