The sudden passing of former Dallas Cowboys second-round pick Marshawn Kneeland left the entire NFL brokenhearted, but certainly more so those in the building in Dallas. However, perhaps the most touching and poignant sentiment came from someone no longer on the Cowboys, but who spent a season with Kneeland before being traded: Micah Parsons.
Before his Green Bay Packers' Week 10 game, Parsons was asked about his former teammate, and delivered a beautiful message that speaks to more than just football.
"He respected me as a player," Parsons said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic ($). "He respected me as a person, so I have nothing but high respect for him. If there’s anything his family needs, I’ll be the first person to help or offer anything I can. I just hope that he finds his peace and his family finds his peace in the situation."
Micah Parsons did more than offer to help Marshawn Kneeland's family
For Parsons to make the offer to Kneeland's family to do whatever they need to help and, obviously, hope for peace for everyone, that means the world in itself. After Kneeland was found deceased on Thursday morning after an apparent death by suicide, it's a beautiful and truly touching gesture for his former teammate to make such an offer.
Just as importantly, though, Parsons spoke about the need to love and check on our people, and also being sure that we are treating everyone with kindness and respect.
"Life’s just so short, so we should really just start appreciating a little bit more and just loving people right and being purposeful with our intent and how we treat people and how we accept people," Parsons said.
The Packers star furthered that once more, too, as he talked about the struggle of dealing with something so personal and deeply heartbreaking, but then having to go on the field this week and play the game of football at the highest level. His words were a testament to the adage that NFL players are people, too, sometimes in the painful ways we all hope to never have to deal with, but inevitably do.
"It’s challenging because obviously the personal side, in this career, how people look at it, always gotta be second," Parsons said. "This is (a) football first, everything else later job … in reality, to say that we’re emotionless and we don’t have feelings, you gotta put things to the side all the time, it’s just not realistic. I have to find a way to embrace my emotions, embrace everything I’m feeling for his family, my former teammates. I got former teammates that are devastated. They can’t comprehend it. Losing a teammate is like a brother."
Parsons put the NFL's brotherhood on full display with his message
It's truly impossible to imagine having to deal with the weight of a teammate, a friend, and a brother's sudden death, then three or four days later needing to go on a football field that you once shared with him and perform at the highest level. However, everything that Parsons spoke on and offered speaks to his most poignant message that fans often take for granted, which is the brotherhood of the NFL.
Sure, there are always going to be beefs and spats in the NFL. At the same time, there is a mutual respect almost ubiquitously throughout the league. Everyone knows the work and sacrifice that it took to reach the pinnacle of the sport at the professional level. Everyone knows the rigors of the day-to-day in the league. And because of that, every player feels a kinship with other players as well.
That's only amplified when it's a former teammate, who someone like Parsons spent even just one year in the building with, that we're talking about the relationship with. It's also magnified in difficult times like this one.
Kneeland's death is truly heartbreaking for anyone with an ounce of empathy and compassion. Parsons, however, proved that not only is the pain just as real for his former teammates and friends, but that the NFL as a whole feels the sorrow of the moment as well. The league is, indeed, a brotherhood, and everyone lost a brother, regardless of if they're on the Cowboys or not.
The NFL asked every team to hold a moment of silence in Kneeland's honor before every Week 10 game.
If you or someone you know is struggling or needs support, please call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is available to contact 24/7.