Former NFL Player Marshawn Kneeland Diagnosed with CTE

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was diagnosed with Stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) following his death by suicide last November, according to findings released Tuesday by the Concussion & CTE Foundation and researchers at the Boston University CTE Center.

NY Times

Kneeland, who was 24 years old, played two seasons with the Cowboys after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan. Researchers determined he had the earliest stage of CTE.

In a statement released through the foundation, Kneeland's family said the diagnosis provides "important context" regarding the challenges he may have been facing and expressed hope that sharing the findings will raise awareness about the potential effects of repetitive head trauma on athletes.

Kneeland's death sent shockwaves through the NFL community. Just days before his death, he had recorded one of the biggest plays of his career, recovering a blocked punt for a touchdown. He finished his NFL career with 26 tackles, one sack and one touchdown in 18 games with Dallas.