FRISCO, Texas 鈥 Marshawn Kneeland will be a part of the 抖阴视频' organization forever, and the same is true of his girlfriend, Catalina, and the child they're expecting. The loss of Kneeland over the bye week was devastating, and even that word feels as if it's insufficient to describe the shockwaves his death sent throughout the locker room and entire organization, but also throughout the realm of mental health and those who struggle with it.
The week leading into their Week 11 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders has been one wrought with emotional turmoil as the coaches and players work to balance their grief with the reality of what's to come: a gauntlet of games that will swiftly begin to determine the future of the season as early as Monday.
And that means the team must strike the balance of focusing on the task(s) at-hand while also keeping Kneeland attached to their thoughts and hearts while doing it, looking to honor him as teammates, friends, mentors and NFL players who often channel their pain into their play.
On Thursday, following their first practice after Kneeland's passing, several spoke about what honoring Kneeland will mean to them when Monday arrives in Las Vegas.
Brian Schottenheimer
"We understand our best way to honor Marshawn on the field is by how we play. That's something we get to control. And I think the guys are excited about that. 鈥 We don't move on, but we do move forward."
Dak Prescott
"Nobody chased the ball like Marshawn, and you can turn on practice film, game film, whatever it may be. I know, going back to the spring, Schotty would show clips of guys running at the ball in OTAs, and Marshawn always made that list. I think it's just evident right there. And I think that showed his love for the game, showed his love for his teammates, and what this meant [to him], and so, at any position, I think that's an easy way to do it right there. It is just your effort, and chasing the ball down, just as Marshawn would."
Solomon Thomas
"If we all play like Marshawn, we'll play as a better team. I'm not saying Marshawn was a perfect player, but the way he would go out there and play is the way football is supposed to be played. He would run to the ball, no matter how tired he was. He would play with intensity and tenacity, and he went out there because he loved the game, and he played with love. He played every play like it was his last. He didn't take reps for granted. What I learned is that he came from a small town in Michigan, and he wasn't supposed to be here. So he played like he wanted to be here every single day, and if we do that, we'll honor him 鈥 win, loss, or draw. If we play like Marshawn, we'll be a better team and we'll come out with this better."
Ryan Flournoy
"Man, just playing from love and not for love, you know? Marshawn loves the game. You can see that about his play style, and just how his motor was: every play, going fast, and that's what we're going to bring this Monday night, and throughout the whole season. Just playing for him, because he would love to be on that field playing with us."
Donovan Ezeiruaku
"Yeah, it is very difficult, and [Solomon] even mentioned that we're going through something that's not normal, and we're kind of trying to find a new normal, in a way. And it's tough at the same time. We have to not move past the situation, but we have to move forward in this situation 鈥 playing for him, honoring him in whatever way possible. 鈥 I think it's gonna be emotional, of course. 鈥 We're gonna play for our brother who's no longer with us."
Osa Odighizuwa
"It's helpful for me personally. I feel like I'm kind of a busybody, so being able to move around helps get some sort of normalcy back, and then just continue the mission. And then playing with a purpose for honoring Marshawn, and playing the way he did, and just bringing that same love, passion, and effort to the game 鈥 relentless."
