Dawson Knox knows his brother is still looking over him.
The Bills tight end spoke publicly for the first time on Monday since his brother, Luke, died suddenly on Aug. 18.
“I know he’s going to be watching, somehow some way,” Knox told reporters. “It’s really mind-blowing, just the size, the amount of support I’ve had. The sheer number of texts and messages, even just the dollar amount of donations that have been made in my brother’s name to the P.U.N.T. Foundation [a philanthropic organization Knox supports]. It’s more than I could have expected, but at the same time it’s weirdly not surprising because this is such an incredible city with such an incredible fanbase and people.”
A linebacker at Florida International, Luke Knox was 22 years old. There has not been a cause of death given yet, although the school previously said police did not suspect foul play.
Luke Knox played in 23 games at Mississippi, his brother’s alma mater, before joining Florida International.
“I just want to thank everybody for being so respectful…,” Dawson Knox said. “It means the world to me. I love all the people in Buffalo. Hopefully, I’ll be here for a long time.”
One day prior, the 25-year-old posted a touching tribute to his brother on Instagram.
“There’s no words to describe these last few weeks,” he captioned a childhood picture of him and his brother. “All I know is that I am beyond grateful for the outpouring of love and support for my family. Luke is not lost, because we know exactly where he is. God’s got him, and I know I’ll be seeing him again one day. Luke’s legacy will continue [to] live on through all the lives he’s impacted in incredible ways. This isn’t a goodbye, it’s just a see you later. I love you Luke.”
Entering his fourth season since being drafted in the third round, Dawson Knox has recorded 101 receptions for 1,263 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in his NFL career.
Playing on the last year of his rookie deal, he will become an unrestricted free agent after the season.