‘Talking Through It’: Dak Prescott Honors Marshawn Kneeland By Opening Mental Health Conversations Inside Dallas Cowboys
FRISCO, Texas — A day before the one-year anniversary of Marshawn Kneeland’s death, Dak Prescott said Thursday that talking through grief with teammates is itself a way of honoring the late Dallas Cowboys defensive end.
Kneeland died Nov. 6, 2025, at 24, while Dallas was on its bye week. Prescott remembered the call, the text, and the team Zoom that followed, and he credited defensive lineman Solomon Thomas for what he told the group that day.
“Yeah, tough day. Obviously, just thinking about last year and being on our bye week and getting that call, getting that text, and then jumping on a Zoom call with the rest of the guys. And I remember Solomon Thomas was vital just in his words and what he spoke up to the team in that moment,” Prescott said. “And as you said, being somebody that’s been through it.”
Prescott lost his older brother, Jace, in 2020 and has spoken publicly about mental health since. He expects Friday to bring feelings players may not see coming.
“You’ll have all kind of feelings and emotions that may come up tomorrow. Some you’re not expecting. And it’s about, even in those moments, about talking about it, right, and talking through it with other people, with your teammates and people that can somewhat understand and relate,” Prescott continued. “I think just doing that is honoring Marshawn, you know what I mean?”
Dak Prescott Says Small Groups Give Players A Place To Talk
The team’s mental health staff, led by a clinician players call Dr. T, has put together small-group conversations around Kneeland’s No. 94. Prescott said he is helping lead them.
“I know the Cowboys, Dr. T, they’ve done a great job of putting something together, Huddle for 94, and allowing us to create conversations and get together in smaller groups that talk about life and talk about things that are stressors to us,” Prescott explained. “If it was something that we had, it may have helped Marshawn. It may have been something that would have been a resource for him. So I’m just trying to honor him by creating those conversations, by creating that group.”
“I think it’s going to be big. I think it’s going to be needed, just even hearing from the introduction about it, how guys felt about it,” Prescott added. “A guy that I always saw around, just through the training room, a guy that did everything to take care of his body, was always trying to help this team out, had a great spirit and energy about him. He’s missed. He’s missed greatly from a lot of people around here and in this organization.”
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday that the team has tributes to Kneeland inside the facility in areas only the players see. “We miss Marshawn so much,” Schottenheimer said.
Prescott Says A Prayer For Kneeland Every Time He Takes The Field
Before every game, Prescott ends his prayer with Kneeland.
“I appreciate them honoring him. And every time I step on that field, I say a prayer. And I end it with, God allow me to do this for people like Marshawn and for Marshawn and people that can’t do it anymore,” Prescott said. “Life’s delicate, and we should never take these moments that we have, no matter if it’s football or whatever we do in life, for granted and be thankful and make sure we’re always telling the people around us that we love.”
Dallas selected Kneeland in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. Three nights before his death, he scored his first NFL touchdown on a blocked punt recovery against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cowboys won their next game, at Las Vegas, 11 days after he died.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
