Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland died during a mental health crisis, but his girlfriend just shared a bittersweet update seven months later

Catalina Mancera has announced the birth of her child with the late Dallas Cowboys player Marshawn Kneeland, marking a bittersweet milestone seven months after his death. The baby, named Makhai, was born June 11, and Catalina shared the news on Instagram alongside photos that highlight the deep connection between the newborn and his father. One of the images features the infant wearing a custom onesie, which includes a design of Marshawn in his Dallas Cowboys jersey woven directly into the fabric.

Catalina also posted a video that captures a truly personal moment, showing Marshawn flashing a warm smile as she reveals her positive pregnancy test to him. Marshawn was only 24 years old when he died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound last November. According to TMZ, his death occurred during an apparent mental health episode, and the events leading up to that moment were incredibly distressing for everyone involved.

Before his passing, his girlfriend had alerted authorities that he was sending concerning messages to loved ones and had stated he would “end it all.” Police in Frisco, Texas, attempted to pull him over for a traffic violation during a pursuit, but he crashed his car and fled the scene. His body was discovered later inside a portable toilet.

A Bittersweet Milestone for the Family

The Dallas Cowboys organization honored him by maintaining his locker following his death, and coach Brian Schottenheimer remembered him as “the most playful spirit of any young man” he’d been around. Marshawn had been working hard to establish himself in the NFL during his brief time with the team. During his 2024 rookie season, he appeared in 11 games with one start, recording 17 tackles, including two for a loss.

He also logged 13 quarterback pressures, one pass breakup, and one fumble recovery. His NFL debut happened against the Cleveland Browns. He earned his first career start against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he collected two tackles. Unfortunately, he had to leave that game after suffering a right knee injury while attempting to sack quarterback Justin Fields. That injury required arthroscopic surgery and kept him on injured reserve for five weeks.

Heading into the 2025 season, things were looking up for his professional development. Following the departure of DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency, Marshawn was positioned as a primary rotational player behind Dante Fowler. During training camp, he was viewed by many as a possible breakout player for the Cowboys. He even had a standout moment intercepting quarterback Dak Prescott in a clip shared on X, alongside several other impact plays during camp, long before Prescott made headlines with his high-profile off-season split.

His 2025 season was not without its own physical challenges, however. In early October, he was added to the injury report with an ankle injury sustained during practice. He later aggravated that same injury during the Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers. Despite the setbacks, he remained a contributor. In Week 9, which was just three days before his death, he achieved a major career highlight by scoring his only NFL touchdown.

He recovered a blocked punt in the end zone during a game against the Arizona Cardinals. By that point in the season, he had appeared in 7 games, missing two because of the ankle injury, and had posted 12 tackles, one sack, and three quarterback pressures.