Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed Wednesday that the girlfriend of late player Marshawn Kneeland, Catalina, is pregnant with their child.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the 24-year-old defensive end's death a week ago, Schottenheimer announced that the team has established a memorial fund to help support Catalina and the baby.
The revelation came during an emotional news conference in which Schottenheimer, fighting back tears, described how the Cowboys are coping with the loss of a beloved teammate.
"My heart is heavy. Our team's heart is heavy. We don't move on, but do we move forward," he said.
The tragedy struck just days after Kneeland recorded his first career touchdown by recovering a blocked punt during Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals. The Grand Rapids native, selected 56th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Western Michigan University, had appeared in 11 games his rookie season before expanding his role in his second year.
For Schottenheimer, now in his first job as an NFL head coach, the situation presented an unusual challenge. "There's no playbook for an event like this," he said. Instead, the first-year coach has leaned on what he knows best: his players and the culture they've built together.
Veteran players such as quarterback Dak Prescott and linebacker Solomon Thomas, who have experienced personal tragedy of their own, stepped into leadership roles. They spoke during a Zoom call last Thursday, at an in-person team meeting Monday, and at a candlelight vigil Tuesday night.
Through it all, Schottenheimer highlighted the responsibility of carrying each other through suffering, much as they would support one another on the field.
"When one side of the ball is playing good, the other side of the ball has to pick them up. When one guy's hurting, someone else has to pick him up," he said. "If the head coach is hurting, someone's gotta pick me up. And I'm hurting. These guys have picked me up, and I've picked them up. That's what we're going to continue to do because we love one another, and that's what a family does."
The Cowboys return to the practice field on Thursday. Schottenheimer acknowledged that the return will affect each player differently.
"Everybody deals with it different. Some guys, getting out on the grass is going to be the best thing in the world for them. Some guys, it's gonna be painful, and that's okay," he said. "We're going to give each other grace and time, but I do promise you this: These guys will be ready to play against the Raiders. And we will honor Marshawn with how we play, not just against the Raiders, but for the rest of the season."