This year's Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game left one of the most memorable halftime performances in recent years, not only because of the presence of Post Malone on stage, but for the deep tribute that the artist has dedicated to the player Marshawn Kneelandwhose death shocked the team just a few weeks ago.
The performance, held at the imposing AT&T Stadium in Arlington, became a moment of reflection when the singer, on the verge of closing his musical set, pronounced: “We love you, 94.” With those words, Malone evoked the number of the number that Kneeland wore during his two seasons in the franchise. The gesture did not stop there: the interpreter He showed up wearing a blue and white jacket on which he had a pin with the same number pinned.a detail that did not go unnoticed among fans.
Who is Marshawn Kneeland?
Kneeland, whose death at age 24 is being investigated as a possible suicide, he had been one of the team's promising young defensive players. Coming out of the Western Michigan collegiate program, he earned a top spot in the Mid-American Conference in 2023, which led to him being selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the following year's NFL draft. His sudden loss has left a void in the locker room and in the fans, who found in Malone's gesture a moment of collective consolation.
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Marshawn Kneeland, number 94 of the Dallas Cowboys, during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in 2024 in Inglewood, California. / Ric Tapia
Marshawn Kneeland, number 94 of the Dallas Cowboys, during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in 2024 in Inglewood, California. / Ric Tapia
Malone's connection to Texas
For the artist, the performance also had a strong personal component. Raised in Grapevine, just a few miles from the stadium, Post Malone recalled growing up watching the Cowboys and how every Thanksgiving halftime performance was a part of his childhood. His connection with the organization also comes from the family: his father worked for more than a decade in the stadium's own services department.
On this occasion, Malone has been in charge of opening the traditional Red Kettle Kickoffan initiative that the Cowboys carry out together with the Salvation Army. For approximately ten minutes, He filled the stage with three of his songs: Wrong Ones, wow and I Had Some Helpwhich were received with enthusiasm by a dedicated audience from the first chord.
The emotional momentum generated by the spectacle also seemed to translate into the spirit of the team, which ended up winning by a tight 31-28. For the artist, who has already participated in several NFL events —including the superbowl from 2024where he played America the Beautiful—, this concert is now among the most significant of his career due to the tribute to a player whose absence continues to weigh on the Texan franchise.
