In professional football, ‘the leap’ is an often talked-about phenomenon. It is a moment when a young player transforms into a star. Heading into the 2025 season, the Dallas Cowboys‘ former defensive end Marshawn Kneeland had the same trajectory in front of him. However, on November 6 last year, news came that shook the NFL world as the 24-year-old Cowboys star died that morning from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot.
For Kneeland’s girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, the spring of 2026 has been bittersweet. With the grief of Kneeland’s demise, she carries the anticipation of motherhood. Taking to Instagram on Mother’s Day, she posted beautiful pictures of her baby shower. Reflecting on the outpouring of love from both her and Marshawn’s families, she shared that she truly found ‘brightness’ even in the darkest of times.
“Words can’t explain how thankful I am for the people God has placed in my life. In such a hard season, the love and support surrounding me has made everything feel a little brighter,” she wrote in the heartfelt post. “I’m so grateful for everyone who came out to celebrate me and baby, and even those who couldn’t make it but still showed love from afar. I also want to thank my family for throwing me such a beautiful shower in Michigan. I want to thank both of our families for all the love they’ve poured into me during this time. I’ll never forget the kindness, prayers, and support that have carried me through all of this.”
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Catalina Mancera and Kneeland met at Western Michigan University and had been together since 2022, before the tragic incident. The post shared by Catalina Mancera was from her baby shower, where she was surrounded by her family and friends.
A week after Marshawn Kneeland’s tragic demise, the Dallas Cowboys coach, Brian Schottenheimer, publicly announced that the couple was expecting a child together. He revealed that the team was planning to honor Marshawn and his family in different ways.
“We’ve started the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, where we can all give and support Catalina. She’s pregnant, and so we want to make sure she’s taken care of, and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” he had said.
Marshawn Kneeland’s journey to the NFL started at Western Michigan University. Here, he transformed from a raw talent into a Second-team All-MAC powerhouse. After a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl, the Dallas Cowboys called his name with the 56th overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. For Dallas, he played 18 games regular-season games. He recorded 26 total tackles with 15 solos, 1.0 sack, one pass defensed, and one fumble recovery. He was on the field for the Dallas just three days before his death. The team was facing the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, and that was when he had his first NFL touchdown as well.
Controversy Surrounds Cowboys as Fans Urge Not to Reassign Marshawn Kneeland’s Jersey Too Soon
Mancera posted an emotional Instagram story last week that brought renewed attention to the athlete’s memories and the emotional weight carried by those closest to him. At the same time, it reopened controversial conversations about how the franchise is handling his memories.
“6 months of missing you has already felt like forever… and I’m still trying to understand how I’m supposed to live a whole lifetime without you, my angel,” Mancera posted on her Instagram.
In the months following his passing, Mancera has kept his memory alive by sharing glimpses of their life.
After the tragedy, the Cowboys’ owner, Jerry Jones, announced that the team would wear No. 94 helmet decals for the rest of the 2025 season. However, less than a year later, undrafted rookie Kelvin Gilliam was seen wearing the No.94 jersey during minicamp. This move has drawn flak from former Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas as well.
“That 94 should have been off limits until my brother’s contract fully expired,” Thomas posted on X this week. “Just don’t feel right.”
While the loss still weighs heavily on the people closest to Kneeland, it was not right for the Cowboys to give away his jersey. There is no confirmation if that will be the rookie’s number, but with the push back, it seems unlikely they will give the number away.
