A relative of former Dallas Cowboys star Marshawn Kneeland made a wild claim after he was found dead on Thursday.
This week the Cowboys issued a statement confirming that defensive end Kneeland had died at the age of 24.
They called Kneeland a "beloved teammate" and said "our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family".
The Frisco Police Department later released a statement claiming he was found dead from an apparent "self-inflicted gunshot wound" after an outside agency vehicle pursuit and search following a crash on Dallas Parkway.
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The police force said a man identified as Kneeland was found "deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound" at 1:31am.
The exact cause of death is to be determined by the Collin County Medical Examiner's Office but police said they received information that Kneeland had expressed "suicidal ideations" and it was claimed Catalina had warned he was in possession of a gun and had a history of mental illness.
Late NFL star's cousin disputes police statement
However, Jasmin, Kneeland's first cousin, appeared to pin the blame on the police in an interview about the tragic passing.
She explained that he was set to attend a family reunion to celebrate his first NFL touchdown, which was scored just days prior.
"I truly think they killed him, I truly do," the 33-year-old told the Daily Mail.
"Marshawn is not a violent person. He is not a hot head. Something here is just not right. Something made him really scared and he ran," she continued. "This is nothing like him at all. He loves his family. He’s like a big kid. He likes making TikTok videos of the little ones in our family, he likes being around them a lot. He was generous with them, always buying stuff."
"I mean, why would he do something like that all of a sudden? That’s not the person I know. Our family is utterly devastated.
"He was supposed to be here with us in Grand Rapids. Not dead after a police chase."
Last year, Kneeland's mother Wendy died aged 45 as a result of an accidental drug overdose but his uncle, Preston, had an emphatic response to social media rumours about the late football star.
"Marshawn hated drugs, absolutely hated them," he explained.
"He never smoked, he never touched alcohol and he disliked prescription medicine. He would always try to find a natural way to treat things."
According to one officer heard in Fresco police dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, Kneeland had told his family 'goodbye' over text message.
His last social media post on X saw him write, "Enjoy this. It goes by fast" with a prayer emoji in response to a tweet from one of his former defensive coaches at Western Michigan.
He was selected 56th overall in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, signing a four-year rookie contract.
He made 11 appearances during his rookie season before featuring a further seven times at the start of the 2025 campaign prior to his tragic passing.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article and would like to speak to someone in confidence, there are several helplines available to support you. The Samaritans offer an anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123, or you can email them directly.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) also operate a phoneline from 5pm to midnight every day on 0800 58 58 58.
Topics: NFL
Josh Lawless