In tragically unsurprising news, late Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland has been diagnosed with CTE, eight months after committing suicide following a police chase.
In better news, Dallas’ receiving duo of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens is drawing praise as one of the league’s three best receiving duos. Dallas’ pass rushers won’t be making those lists, but they are trying to get better by getting with other top rushers at the annual Sack Summit.
Here is how Dallas is in the news.
Marshawn Kneeland
Former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, who committed suicide last November after leading police on a car chase, has been diagnosed with Stage 1 chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Boston University’s CTE Center made the diagnosis after Kneeland’s family donated his brain for research.
Kneeland’s family and his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera, put out a statement Tuesday.
It said, “While this diagnosis does not change the tragedy of his passing, it provides important context about some of the struggles he may have been facing. We share this information to help people understand what NFL and other high contact sport athletes might be struggling with. Raising awareness is important to us. We continue to remember Marshawn with compassion for the person he was, rather than defining him by the final moments of his life. One Love.”
CeeDee Lamb George Pickens
DallasCowboys.com writers Tommy Yarrish, Patrik Walker and Mickey Spagnola are working their way through 20 questions concerning the Cowboys, and this week began with them asking where CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens rank in the NFL as a wide-receiving duo.
They all predictably said quite well. Yarrish said the top three, just behind the Los Angeles Rams’ Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. Walker said No. 2 as well behind the Rams, while Spagnola said top five, along with the Bengals’ Ja’Mar Chase and Tee Higgins and the Rams duo.
Per Walker: “In looking around the league, in both conferences I’m hard-pressed to find a more potent duo at WR than CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. This isn’t a biased take, but rather the science of the situation. Lamb and Pickens are not WR1 and WR2. They are two true WR1s that are also led by an All-Pro quarterback who, if not for a historically-bad defense in 2025, might’ve been in the MVP conversation (again). Everyone knows what Lamb can do, and that’s why he’s one of the best in the league at the position, regardless of who you ask.
”What many were hoping to find out is what Pickens can be, and that answer was carved in stone with a 1,400+ yard season (with nine TDs) in Dallas that led to his first-ever Pro Bowl nod and a Second-team All-Pro honor.”
Sack Summitt
For pass rushers, the big event of the offseason is the Sack Summit in Las Vegas from July 9-11. It’s an annual event hosted by Von Miller, Cam Jordan and Maxx Crosby.
Per its website: “Sack Summit is an annual event that brings together the NFL’s top pass rushers in Las Vegas. Held over three days every summer, Sack Summit offers a unique chance for players from different teams to ‘link and learn’ in a constructive environment while enjoying what the city has to offer.
”Participants exchange skills, knowledge, and techniques in addition to participating in on-field drills/workouts and film sessions with some of the best pass rushers in NFL history.”
Three Cowboys will be attending this year: Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku. Williams played half of last season with the Cowboys after being acquired from the New York Jets, Gary came to Dallas this offseason after a trade from Green Bay and Ezeiruaku is in his second year with the Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys schedule 2026
PRESEASON
Week 1 Sat, Aug 15 at Seattle Seahawks 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT
Week 2 Sat, Aug 22 at Arizona Cardinals 11 a.m. MT/noon CT
Week 3 Sat, Aug 29 vs. New Orleans Saints 10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT
REGULAR SEASON
Week 1 Sun, Sept. 13 at New York Giants 6:20 p.m. MT/7:20 p.m. CT, NBC
Week 2 Sun, Sept. 20 vs. Washington Commanders 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. CT, FOX
Week 3 Sun, Sept 27 vs. Baltimore Ravens (at Rio) 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. CT, CBS
Week 4 Sun, Oct 4 at Houston Texans 11 a.m. MT/noon CT, FOX
Week 5 Thu, Oct 8 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6:15 p.m. MT/7:15 p.m. CT, Amazon Prime Video
Week 6 Sun, Oct 18 at Green Bay Packers 6:20 p.m. MT/7:20 p.m. CT, NBC
Week 7 Mon, Oct 26 at Philadelphia Eagles 6:15 PM ESPN
Week 8 Sun, Nov 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals 11 a.m. MT/noon CT, FOX
Week 9 Sun, Nov 8 at Indianapolis Colts 11 a.m. MT/noon CT, FOX
Week 10 Sun, Nov 15 vs. San Francisco 49ers 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m., FOX
Week 11 Sun, Nov 22 vs. Tennessee Titans 11 a.m. MT/noon CT, FOX
Week 12 Thu, Nov 26 vs. Philadelphia Eagles 2:30 p.m. MT/3:30 p.m. CT, FOX
Week 13 Mon, Dec 7 at Seattle Seahawks 6:15 p.m. MT/7:15 p.m. CT
Week 14 BYE
Week 15 Sun, Dec 20 at Los Angeles Rams 2:25 p.m. MT/3:25 p.m. CT, CBS
Week 16 Sun, Dec 27 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 6:20 p.m. MT/7:20 p.m., NBC
Week 17 Sun, Jan 3 vs. New York Giants 11 a.m. MT/noon CT, FOX
Week 18 Sun, Jan 10 at Washington Commanders TBD
Bret Bloomquist can be reached, bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dallas Cowboys news. Late Cowboys Marshawn Kneeland diagnosed with CTE
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
