On a tragic night on Tuesday at around 1:30 AM, football lost one of its shining stars, Marshawn Kneeland. A loyal Western Michigan alum through and through was reported deceased by authorities in a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Kneeland established benchmarks of excellence in the program that are still followed. The relationships he built, the weight that his voice carried, and the almost magical charisma he brought to the locker room are still intact. Michigan’s D-line coach recounted just that in his emotional message.

Lou Esposito, who coached at Western Michigan from 2017 to 2023, recounted his time with Marshawn Kneeland. “I am crushed at this moment, and my heart and the hearts of Marshawn’s family, teammates, and coaches are shattered. Marshawn Kneeland meant a great deal to me, and I have so many fond memories of growing with him throughout my time as his coach,” said Esposito.

Marshawn joined Western Michigan in 2019 and redshirted in his first year. Then in the 2020 season, despite a COVID-shortened season, Kneeland appeared in six games and posted 23 tackles. Developing rapidly with the help of his coaches, the defensive end quickly started sealing his place on the team and was the starter as the 2021 season began. Surely, being WMU’s D-line coach and defensive coordinator, Esposito had a deep relationship with Marshawn. In fact, the duo was planning a reunion together.

“We were planning to get together this weekend during his visit back home. A hometown guy from Grand Rapids, Marshawn, was loved by everyone and epitomized what it meant to be a Bronco. He was a dream to coach and be around on and off the field. We just talked the other day, and I got to congratulate Marshawn on his first career touchdown on Monday night,” said the coach.

A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Kneeland always remained a loyal Bronco. For instance, when in his junior year, head coach Tim Lester was fired, offers lined up for the guy. Teams like Deion Sanders’ Colorado and TCU were after him. But at last, Marshawn chose loyalty over Power Five glory. That paid off handsomely for Marshawn, owing to his hard work. Ultimately, in the 2023 season, Kneeland found his potential and wreaked offenses in the MAAC. The guy totaled 57 tackles and 4.5 sacks in the season and earned a second-team All-MAC selection. That paved the way for Kneeland’s further NFL trajectory.

Kneeland was on an incredible trajectory in the NFL

Kneeland was never a high-profile recruit and was never expected to make it big. For instance, during his recruitment, the 6’3″ and 267 lbs prodigy got FCS offers like Western Illinois and Grand Valley State. However, Kneeland always had that fire in his chest to succeed, and that drove him, despite all odds. All of that culminated in 2024, as the former WMU alum was selected in the second round, being the 55th overall pick in the NFL draft. “I won’t let you down, man,” said Kneeland to head coach Mike McCarthy after getting drafted. Like he promised, in the NFL, Kneeland was exceptional.

“Marshawn worked hard every day we were together to reach his goal of playing in the NFL, and he achieved that with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s hard to put into words how much Marshawn means to me and my family. He was family to us, and we have so many fond memories of our time together. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his girlfriend, Catalina,” said an emotional Lou Esposito.

In his short time in the NFL, Marshawn Kneeland had already begun to make his presence felt. Even as a rookie, his determination and drive stood out. It is a reflection of the same work ethic that defined his college years at Western Michigan. Last season, Kneeland appeared in 11 games for the Dallas Cowboys, recording 14 tackles. In 2025, he continued to build on that foundation, adding 12 tackles in just seven appearances and even scoring a memorable touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. Now, as the football community mourns his loss, the statistics seem secondary to the person he was. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Kneeland’s family, friends, teammates, and all who were touched by his life.