3S.University of Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule delivered a powerful, emotional speech today following the heartbreaking death of 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland.

University Of Nebraska’s Head Coach Matt Rhule had a very passionate speech today mental health in the wake of news on the death of 24-year-old Dallas Cowboys DE Marshawn Kneeland: “Understanding that none of us know what people are going through, that’s why I think we all should be careful about what we say to people. I think we should be careful about what we tweet about people. I think we should be cognizant of what everyone’s going through.

I told our players, they should take their headphones off in the cafeteria and sit down with somebody and say, ‘How you doing, man? What’s going on with you?’ Because somebody that we’re talking to, we’re saying, ‘What’s wrong with that guy? That guy’s messed up.’ Instead of saying, ‘What’s wrong with them?,’ we should all say, ‘I wonder what happened to them,’ because everyone’s suffering.

I look at these opportunities – everyone’s going through something – they’re going to go on the road together, it’s a chance for us all to come together and be a team and unite together and spend time together. I think it’s a good opportunity for us.

I send my condolences, obviously. It’s just awful, awful, awful news. But you also know at the same time, I’ve given the eulogy for players of mine who’ve had the same thing happen. You never know what people are going through. I will forever, for the rest of my life, think about the time that I saw Adrian Robinson right before he took his own life. I saw him on campus (at Temple). And I was walking this way, and he was way over there. And I said, I need to catch up with Adrian, because he got done playing. And a week later, he left this world. And a month later, I was giving the eulogy. I just wish in my life, I could go back and stop and say, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ It’s on my heart.

I shared with the team, I think it’s a time in this world to be kind to people and at the same time care about people and ask about people. Our generation of kids – my kids – they all just say, ‘Yeah, I’m fine. I’m straight.’ You really gotta unearth it.

I look at road trips and travel and I look at time together at practice as chances to impact young people’s lives and try to be around them. I would encourage everybody today with your own kids or people you work with, just to check on them, because that young man scored a touchdown just a couple days ago. And on the outside, you’d think he’s at the pinnacle. But he’s dealing with something, and I don’t know what it was. But I pray for him – him and his family.”