Losing a family member is never easy, especially a brother. Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox faced that heartbreaking reality a few years ago. It was a challenging time, but he says his faith in God helped him find strength and navigate the grief.
Advertisement
Knox has now been with the Buffalo Bills for six seasons. In 2022, he was elected to his first-ever Pro Bowl after putting up 48 catches for 517 yards and six touchdowns. He has over 2000 career receiving yards and has played a key role in ushering in Buffalo’s tight end of the future, Dalton Kincaid.
However, many may not know that Knox has been dealing with the tragic loss of his brother, Luke, for the past three years. He opened up about this in an interview with Sports Spectrum, a company focused on connecting faith and sports.
“Before I know it, I’m going to see my brother again in heaven,” Knox stated. “I can’t imagine being someone who doesn’t believe in the lord and having to walk through something like that. It would be devastating. There’s one reason I was able to get through that… and it’s solely because of Jesus and the hope he offers us.”
It’s a powerful statement coming from Knox. He also talked about how he didn’t understand why God was putting him through such a trial, but he emphasized that it’s okay not to be able to understand. Because one day, he believes he’ll be up in heaven with his little brother, and everything will be alright. This is a great sense of optimism in the midst of a heartbreaking situation.
POWERFUL: #Bills standout Dawson Knox talks about his brother’s tragic loss and how faith in God helped him overcome grief.
“There’s one reason I was able to get through that … and it’s solely because of Jesus and the hope He offers us.”
Must-watchpic.twitter.com/RDlRwatyTX
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 4, 2025
Luke Knox was a football player like Dawson. He played linebacker for Ole Miss before transferring to FIU. No cause of death was initially mentioned in late 2022, but it was later revealed that Luke had died of a drug overdose involving multiple substances. It’s a horrifying situation that no one should ever experience. Luke appeared in 23 games at the University of Mississippi before transferring to FIU, where he was a business major.
Following his tragic passing, FIU’s head coach, Mike MacIntyre, came out with a statement: “Words cannot express the heartfelt sorrow we feel because of the passing of our teammate and friend, Luke Knox. I had the honor of coaching Luke at Ole Miss and at FIU. While I admired his passion for football, his genuine love for his family and teammates is what I will always remember.”
Touching words from Luke’s longtime coach. Dawson’s head coach, Sean McDermott, also issued a statement at the time, sending his thoughts and prayers out to the Knox family.
The death came as a shock at the time, and it’s a reminder of how fragile life can be. Luke was a bright kid who inspired many people around him. It’s a tragedy that he isn’t here with us today. But it’s something that his brother Dawson seems to have mostly gotten past because of his faith in God and Jesus.
Our hearts go out to the Knox family. Hopefully, the rest of the family has found some sense of peace, just as Dawson has.
