As June marks Men's Mental Health Month, the conversation around mental health in the league has taken a deep personal tone, especially after late Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland passed away last year.

During the Tennessee Titans minicamp on June 17, defensive tackle Solomon Thomas shared a powerful and emotional perspective on mental health. 

"Mental health is something that's huge for me. I have a foundation with my family. I've been impacted by it personally - lost my sister to s****** and went through my own struggles," Thomas said, per ESPN Turron Davenport. "We've lost way too many people in the NFL to s******, especially this past year. I lost my teammate Marshawn Kneeland. May God rest his soul and be with Catalina."

Kneeland and Thomas were teammates during the 2025 season, before Kneeland passed away in November last year.

Thomas and his family founded The Defensive Line after the loss of his sister, Ella Thomas, in 2018, when she was 24 years old.

The vision of the non-profit organization is to transform pain into purpose and advance the conversation around youth mental health and self-harm prevention, according to TheDefensiveLine.org

Thomas shared that mental health struggles are inevitable for everyone, regardless of gender, emphasizing that men should feel empowered to seek therapy if they are struggling emotionally.

"But we refuse to talk about it because we think this masculinity thing keeps us away from being emotional," Thomas said. "It takes way more strength to be vulnerable and go get help and tell someone how you're really feeling than it takes to be quiet"

Recent tragedies involving former Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore, and former LSU WR Kyren Lacy have further raised discussions about mental health awareness and player support in the NFL.

"And if we don't start talking about it, these things will keep happening," Thomas said. "So we have to have the conversation. We have to let men know it's okay to cry. It's okay to be emotional. It's okay to go to therapy, because it's the most preventable death."

Thomas believes NFL players and men in general should be willing to be vulnerable about their struggles, stressing that open conversations around mental health can save lives.

His message comes at a time when mental health awareness remains a growing priority across the football community and beyond.

The Foundation Born From Personal Loss Reaches a Milestone

Thomas' non-profit organization, 'The Defensive Line,' reached a new milestone as it hosted its fifth anniversary on June 5. The organization is dedicated to 'ending youth s****** by transforming how adults connect with youth'.

"In 2025 alone, TDL delivered life-saving mental health education and suicide-prevention outreach to more than 300K+ young people impacted by TDL-trained adults in their daily lives," per RJ Ochoa of SB Nation.

The organization also boasts 4k individuals trained in DLINES S****** Prevention Method and 80+ schools, businesses, and organizations to have partnered with 'The Defensive Line'

The milestone reflects how Thomas and his family have transformed their loss into a growing movement focused on mental health awareness and community impact.

You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore