Post Malone took a moment out of his massive Thanksgiving halftime show to pay tribute to Marshawn Kneeland, the Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman who died by suicide earlier this month.
The singer, who is a diehard Cowboys fan, was tapped to perform during one the NFL’s annual showcase events with Dallas hosting Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.
At the end of his seven-minute set after playing hit song I Had Some Help, Post Malone thanked the holiday crowd, wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving before shouting out Kneeland.
“We love you, 94. We love you,” the singer said before taking a bow and leaving the stage.
Malone also wore a large, blue pin on his jacket with the Kneeland’s No. 94 in white.
Kneeland was found dead from what police called “an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound” in the early hours of Nov. 6 after being involved in a police pursuit in Frisco, Tex.
It was revealed in the days that followed his death that Mancera is pregnant with the couple’s first child — a boy.
Malone, a lifelong Cowboys fan whose father used to work in concessions for the team, stuck around after the game and was seen playing catch on the field after the stadium cleared out.
Despite some nail-biting moments in the second half, the Cowboys held on to win the game against the Chiefs 31-28, the team’s third straight win since Kneeland’s suicide.
The Cowboys’ record improved to 6-5-1 and likely will need to win their remaining five games to make the playoffs while Chiefs dropped to 6-6 and face an equally tough road to the post-season despite playing in the Super Bowl in five of the past six seasons.
Cowboys honour fallen star
The Cowboys have honoured the memory of Kneeland in several ways since his death, including wearing shirts with his name and face on them and holding a moment of silence before their home game this past Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer also announced that the organization has created the Marshawn Kneeland Memorial Fund, which aims to financially support both Catalina and the unborn baby.