Just days after the passing of Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, it has been revealed that his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is expecting their first child together.
Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer announced the news during a November 12 press conference and revealed that the organization has launched the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund to support Mancera and the baby in the years ahead.
“[Catalina is] pregnant and so we want to make sure she is taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer shared during a Nov. 12 press conference. “Our guys—it’s very important to them and to us.”
He added that the fund gives players, staff, and fans a way to come together and help support Kneeland’s family during this difficult time.
Kneeland, 24, died on November 5 from what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound following a vehicle crash and police pursuit near Frisco, Texas. Officials said that in the hours before the tragedy, Mancera reached out to police with concerns that he had a firearm and had made threats.
In her first interview since his death, Mancera told the Daily Mail she is still working through her grief. “I’m grieving hard right now. It will be a long time before I’ll feel ready to talk at any length,” she said. “We’re still in the early stages of everything. We are working on the funeral arrangements. I don’t know where it’s going to be yet.”
She also shared a message online honoring Kneeland, writing, “My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel. You’re my everything. I’ll love you forever, my beautiful angel.”
Kneeland had just begun his rookie season with the Cowboys after being drafted in 2024. His sudden passing has left teammates, fans, and loved ones grieving the loss of a young player with a promising future.
