Cowboys legend opens up on close relationship with Marshawn Kneeland

Dallas Cowboys legend and former assistant Greg Ellis opened up about his close relationship with Marshawn Kneeland and their conversations on mental health.

NFL defensive end Greg Ellis at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Editors’ note: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You are not alone.

Dallas Cowboys players and coaches are still grieving over the loss of defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, who tragically died early Thursday morning in a suspected suicide.

According to the Frisco Police Department, Kneeland's body was discovered with an "apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound."

Since his passing, Kneeland has been honored by the team with a tribute on the videoboard outside of The Star and with a moment of silence by the NFL before Thursday Night Football. As the NFL world continues to remember Kneeland, one person who is opening up about his close relationship with the 24-year-old is Cowboys legend and former assistant coach Greg Ellis.

MORE: Cowboys players, coaches honor Marshawn Kneeland with locker room memorial

Ellis is the man who urged the front office to draft Kneeland in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft out of Western Michigan.

Western Michigan defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Ellis maintainted a close relationship with Kneeland, but shared some remorse for not picking up on the signs. Ellis, an advocate for mental health awareness, wrote and directed a film on on mental illness titled, "My Dear."

The former Pro Bowler opened up about his conversations with Kneeland while speaking to the Dallas Morning News.

MORE: Dak Prescott gut-wrenchingly honest on 'triggering day' of Marshawn Kneeland's death

“For me, I should have known,” Ellis said. “But the moments that I pay attention to him when he would withdraw, he would get quiet, and then I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ But his No. 1 answer: ‘I’m straight coach, I’m good.’ So, yes, to that again, a lot of things are hindsight. I did see it. But I didn’t think it would lead to this. But I did feel compelled to stay in contact with him, and that’s the one thing that I didn’t do well enough in my opinion.”

It's a heartbreaking realization, but it highlights how so many people can and do struggle in silence. Ellis said he last spoke to Kneeland on September 3, but wishes he had reached out more.

The Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks observe a moment of silence to honor the memory of Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Cowboys now face an unthinkable situation and tragedy that they will have to navigate through the remainder of the season, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made sure to put a support system in place.

Grief counselors have been made available by the team, and the locker room is blessed with the presence of players like Dak Prescott and Solomon Thomas, who are among the league's leading mental health advocates.

Our deepest condolences continue to go out to Kneeland's family and friends during this incredibly difficult and tragic time.

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