Marshawn Kneeland’s girlfriend Catalina Mancera welcomes baby Makhai seven months after the Dallas Cowboys player’s death

TheGrio...

Marshawn Kneeland, Catalina Mancera, NFL, Dallas Cowboys,
Photo: Getty Images

The Marshawn Kneeland baby news came Monday when Mancera shared that their son was born on June 11, wearing a onesie bearing his father’s image.

Catalina Mancera, the girlfriend of late Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, has welcomed the couple’s first child.

Baby Makhai was born on June 11, Mancera announced on Instagram on Monday.

“My favorite gift from you,” she wrote in the post’s caption. In her post, Mancera showed herself holding a photo of the newborn in front of his ink footprints, alongside an image of Makhai in a onesie woven with his father’s Cowboys jersey.

In addition to a trio of images of the newborn, Mancera also included a video of Kneeland smiling after as she shared her positive pregnancy test with him.

Makhai’s birth comes seven months after Kneeland’s death on November 5, 2025, at 24 years old.

“It is with extreme sadness that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically passed away this morning,” the team confirmed in a statement the following morning. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization. Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

In the days following Kneeland’s passing, there was an outpouring of grief from his teammates, including quarterback Dak Prescott, who described how the loss left him with a “heavy, heavy heart.”

The news of Makhai’s birth also served as a joyous moment for the Cowboys organization, following promises made during a press conference on November 12, 2025, when head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced the pregnancy and pledged the team’s support.

“We want to make sure she’s taken care of, and the baby is taken care of for the rest of their lives,” Schottenheimer said at the time. The team also created the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund to financially support Mancera and her child going forward.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

More at TheGrio