Kneeland CTE Diagnosis
Former Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was posthumously found to have stage 1 CTE.
July 7, 2026 · Updated Jul 7, 7:32pm ET
The GuardianFormer Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland had early stage CTE when he died at 24
BBC NewsDallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland who died by suicide diagnosed with CTE brain disease
TownhallTragic Diagnosis Made Posthumously to Former Cowboys Defensive End
ABC NewsFormer Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kneeland had early stage CTE at time of death
Washington TimesFormer Cowboys DE Kneeland posthumously diagnosed with stage 1 CTE
Daily CallerRising NFL Star's Family Reveals Tragic Diagnosis After Suicide
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What happened
Boston University CTE Center
Boston University CTE Center and Brain BankBoston University brain injury research center researchers posthumously diagnosed Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn KneelandMarshawn KneelandAmerican football player (2001–2025) with Stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy after analyzing brain tissue donated through the Concussion & CTE Foundation. Kneeland died by suicide in November 2025 at age 24 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a high-speed police chase in Texas. He was in his second NFL season with Dallas at the time of his death. CTE is associated with repeated head impacts, and Kneeland’s diagnosis was made after death.
