GREEN BAY — Micah Parsons was searching for the right words Friday. And he was struggling.

Roughly 24 hours earlier, the Green Bay Packers star pass rusher had learned that Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Marshawn Kneeland, one of Parsons’ former teammates with the Cowboys, had died.

“I would say I was extremely shocked, extremely hurt by the news,” Parsons said after practice during a Q&A session with reporters that had initially been about Monday night’s matchup between the Packers (5-2-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) at Lambeau Field.

“He always showed me nothing but respect from the moment he came into the locker room. He respected me as a player; he respected me as a person. So, I have nothing but high respect for him.

“If there’s anything his family needs, I’ll be the first person to help or offer anything I can do. I just hope that he finds his peace and his family finds peace in the situation.”

According to police in Frisco, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and the home to the Cowboys’ headquarters/training facility, the 24-year-old Kneeland was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in the early hours of Thursday morning, after leading authorities on a police chase that began with a traffic stop on Wednesday night.

After Kneeland eluded police, he reportedly sent a group text to loved ones saying goodbye. Kneeland’s girlfriend also told authorities that he’d struggled with mental illness, brought on in part by his mother’s sudden death just two months before the Cowboys took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

“Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our organization,” the Cowboys said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers regarding Marshawn are with his girlfriend Catalina and his family.”

In the Cowboys’ 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, Kneeland scored his first NFL touchdown after recovering a blocked punt in the end zone.

Parsons and Kneeland played together on the Cowboys’ defensive line last season, and the news of his death not only hit Parsons hard, but it also caused him to be introspective about mental health and how men frequently don’t seek the help they need.

“I’m just happy my family’s here, my kids are here. [But] it made me reach out to some friends I have back home, former teammates about how we took for granted the time we’ve had together,” said Parsons, who learned of Kneeland’s death from one of his former Cowboys teammates around 7:30 Thursday morning. “Life’s just so short, so we should really just start appreciating a little bit more.

“People tell us men we can’t be soft. You spend your whole life proving yourself to others, for other people to know your worth. I think as men, we’re taught not to be as vulnerable.

“Mental health is important. [It’s] about being there for each other, whether we’re going through hard times or whatever it may be. It’s tough. It’s a hard job. But I think sometimes people [forget] that you are human.”

Parsons said he had not spoken about Kneeland’s death with his Packers teammates, but he acknowledged that there should be more “hard” conversations among players and coaches so they can recognize the signs if someone is struggling.

“I’ve got former teammates that are devastated. They can’t comprehend it,” Parsons said. “Losing a teammate is like a brother. People don’t realize how much time we actually spend together.

“The NFL is like a brotherhood. It doesn’t matter who it is. If you’re breaking sweat, [spilling] blood with someone whether it’s opposite team or same team, it’s a brotherhood.”

Parsons said he would be focused on football come kickoff but acknowledged it will be “challenging” to do so. “But we’ve got to find a way because there’s an expectation come Monday night,” he said.

“Obviously, it was Marshawn the person that we wish we could’ve been there for. How he felt in that moment, you just really don’t know. For me, I have kids. How do I make sure my kids don’t end up in that similar situation? How can I be there for them as much as possible?”

If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

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