Marshawn Kneeland, Cowboys player who died by suicide at 24, diagnosed with CTE
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has been diagnosed with stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Kneeland, who died by suicide at 24 years old in November 2025, was diagnosed posthumously by researchers at Boston University’s CTE Center, according to a press released from the Concussion and CTE Foundation. Kneeland was in his second professional season with the Cowboys when he died. The press release noted that he had been playing tackle football since he was seven years old.
“Unfortunately, I was not surprised to find CTE in the brain of Mr. Kneeland, because we have found this progressive brain disease in nearly half of the athletes we’ve studied who have died before the age of 30,” said Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center and chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System, in a statement.
CTE can only be diagnosed after death, with no specific symptoms tied to the disease present while a victim is alive. However, symptoms with possible ties to CTE include memory loss, impulsive behavior and depression.
“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,” Kneeland’s family said in a statement. “We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with.
“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.”
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marshawn Kneeland, Cowboys player who died by suicide at 24, diagnosed with CTE
