Girlfriend of Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland speaks for first time since November 6 suicide

The girlfriend of Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has spoken for the first time since his suicide on November 6 as the 24-year-old NFL player’s death has left his loved ones and the football community in deep mourning.

The 22-year-old Catalina Mancera was seen outside the luxury Plano, Texas, apartment building where Kneeland lived, and she appeared visibly emotional but composed as she left the residence alongside his sister, Yahmya.

Mancera declined to discuss the reasons behind the player’s death but described her grief as overwhelming.

“It’s too much,” Catalina told the Daily Mail. “I’m grieving hard right now. It will be a long time before I’ll feel ready to talk at any length.

“We’re still in the early stages of everything [funeral planning]. We are working on the funeral arrangements. I don’t know where it’s going to be yet.”

Mancera, who owns the sportswear brand SZN Stitches, had created clothing lines featuring Kneeland’s name and image.

The pair lived together in the high-rise complex, where penthouse rentals can reach $14,200 a month and family members said Kneeland and Mancera began dating at Western Michigan University.

“Marshawn shared a very special relationship with Catalina, whom he had been with since his sophomore year,” cousin Nicole Kneeland-Woods said. “Catalina is an important part of our family and she’s hurting deeply too.”

Relatives described their bond as enduring and close, built on shared goals and the challenges of balancing personal and professional ambitions.

How did Marshawn Kneeland die? The events leading up to his death

Authorities say Kneeland died after a police pursuit in Frisco, Texas, on the night of November 5, and dispatch audio indicated that Catalina had warned officers the player was armed and in distress before the fatal incident occurred.

Police later found his body in a portable restroom in Plano on November 6 as they audio from the dispatcher was revealed.

“We’re talking to the girlfriend… she’s saying he’s armed and has a history of mental illness and her quote was, ‘He will end it all,'” a dispatcher said after the chase began around 22:30, as per to police recordings.

Kneeland had scored his first NFL touchdown days earlier against the Arizona Cardinals, and during the pursuit, he sent his family a group text reading “goodbye”. However, relatives dispute reports that Kneeland had mental health issues.

“There were no previous signs or indications that Marshawn was dealing with mental issues,” Kneeland-Woods said. “He cared deeply about his family and everyone around him.

“Losing his mother last year and his grandfather in 2023 was incredibly hard for him. Our family is devastated and still trying to process something that feels unimaginable.”

She asked that fans remember him for his kindness whilst his uncle, Preston, dismissed claims of drug involvement, stating the player was licensed to carry a firearm in Michigan. It is understood that Kneeland’s body remains in Texas awaiting funeral transfer.

Officials in Collin County have not yet released autopsy results, saying the investigation is ongoing – but as of November 8, no death certificate had been issued. His sudden death has left Dallas and the broader NFL community mourning his untimely loss.