Girlfriend of late NFL player Marshawn Kneeland reveals pregnancy days after tragedy

The girlfriend of late NFL player Marshawn Kneeland is pregnant with his child, the Dallas Cowboys' head coach has confirmed.

At a press conference today, one week after the athlete died aged 24, coach Brian Schottenheimer announced Kneeland's girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, is expecting a child.

Schottenheimer said the team is making sure Mancera will be supported.

"We want to make sure she's taken care of and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives," he said.

He also announced the organisation has created the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, which will financially support Catalina and her child.

"The Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund is dedicated to preserving Marshawn's legacy and extending his impact through direct support for his surviving partner and unborn heir," the website reads.

Kneeland's death was announced by the Dallas Cowboys on November 6 in a statement to People magazine.

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"It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning," the statement read.

"Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organisation. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family."

Mancera posted a tribute to her partner on Facebook on November 12, writing: "My sweet baby, words could never express how broken I feel, you're my everything. I'll love you forever my beautiful angel."

The defensive end was found dead after leading Texas state troopers on a chase that night.

State troopers say they tried to stop Kneeland for a traffic violation but he "refused to comply."

He fled and troopers pursued the car until they lost sight of it.

Police officers found him three hours later, deceased in the car that had crashed into the southbound lanes of the Dallas Parkway.

The tragedy is being investigated as a possible suicide.

In the hours leading up to his death, Mancera called police, worried he would take his own life and saying he was armed.

People obtained the dispatcher logs to police, reporting the operator told officers, "We're talking to the girlfriend. She's trying to call his agent, but we're trying to get her to call him first, but she's saying he is armed and has a history of mental illness and her quote was, 'He will end it all.' "

The dispatcher also said Kneeland's family received a group text from him "saying goodbye."

Kneeland played college football at Western Michigan, earning All-MAC honours, before being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

In his time as a defensive end for the Cowboys, he recorded 26 total tackles and his first NFL touchdown just days before his tragic passing.

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