And the 'Boys played on.
Eleven days after Marshawn Kneeland's death, the Dallas Cowboys returned to the field, heavy hearts hidden by shoulder pads, emotions covered by facemasks.
While the rest of the league had recognized Kneeland with pregame tributes, the Cowboys had spent their bye week mourning the loss of a teammate gone far too young, trying, as head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Nov. 12, not to move on, but move forward.
They did so Monday by way of a resounding 33-16 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.
"So proud of these guys," Schottenheimer said after the win. "The way that they grieved, cried, laughed, but they wanted to honor him, and we're not done honoring him. He's a part of our family forever. These past 11 days have been really tough. I'm proud of those guys because of just the way they played today. They played with Marshawn's play style."
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott could be heard telling his teammates in the huddle early in the game, "Tonight's about honoring our a brother."
Prescott -- who had wrist tape with "One love," -- a phrased favored by Kneeland -- written on it, sparkled on Monday, throwing four touchdown passes.
"Just like Shotty said, 'the honoring doesn't stop' and, you know, honestly, when the season's over, the honoring won't stop," said Prescott, whose Cowboys have massive games ahead against the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving and the Detroit Lions on Dec. 4. "So, it's about intensifying everything that we do to carry the legacy of Marshawn. Then over the next three games with the opponents coming in and us wanting to get to where we want to go, everything's just got to heighten. The discipline, the focus, the intensity, the aggressiveness and that's at practice. That will just carry over into the game. I've always said, 'the game's a celebration of the work that you put in throughout the week.'"
Ahead of Monday night's game, players, such as Prescott, showed up with shirts featuring a picture of Kneeland and played with decals with Kneeland's No. 94 donned on their helmets. Coaches wore the shirts throughout the game.
"I would be lying if I said I didn't have tears when I first put this shirt on as you can imagine," Schottenheimer said. "But more than anything, I know Marshawn was looking down on us, and we wanted to make him proud, and I think we did that."
Kneeland was found dead on Nov. 6 after an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Just 24, Kneeland had been with the Cowboys since 2024 when he was selected in the second round of the draft. The defensive end played 18 career games with four starts, including three this year in which he produced 12 tackles and his first career sack.
Kneeland's death sent shockwaves throughout the league and, in Dallas, devasted ownership and players, alike. Cowboys players returned to practice exactly a week after receiving the tragic news that Kneeland had evaded police officers attempting to make a traffic stop and fled an accident on foot hours before he was found dead.
Prescott and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, who each had siblings who died by suicide, were the first to address the media upon the return to practice.
Kneeland's death came during the team's bye week, leaving the players alone upon hearing the news. They were together again for the first time on the playing field Monday, united in moving on with their season and remembering their lost teammate.
"Yeah, obviously, a tough, hard 12 days," Prescott said. "You know through the bye week those first -- as I mentioned to y'all earlier in the week -- those first few days not being with the guys was harder than anything. The last six, seven (days) being together, working together, having conversations, healing and shining a light on who Marshawn was. Then, obviously, coming out here tonight and playing with the style that he played with -- the intensity, the efforts, finish and super proud of the guys with the whirlwind of a week. Great one to cap off with a win right here but it doesn't put a cap on it. We're going to continue to move forward and shine light to Marshawn and carry his legacy. We need to play like this every week moving forward. He'll always be with us."
The Cowboys have seven games remaining in the regular season.
Schottenheimer believes the group is closer than it's ever been, joined in moving forward from tragedy and in continuing to pay homage to Kneeland, which the rookie head coach is steadfast in doing.
"It's galvanized us forever," Schottenheimer said. "We'll always be tight, but this has really brought us together, brothers for life."
Schottenheimer added: "More than anything, I know Marshawn was looking down on us, and I hope we made him proud."
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