Dawson Knox Reflects on Playoff Journey and Community Impact

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Playoff football is all Dawson Knox has known since joining the Buffalo Bills as a rookie in 2019. The Bills have made the postseason every year of his career, but this year’s team has a distinct feel compared to past playoff squads. “It just has a different vibe to it,” Knox said ahead of the Bills’ wild-card round playoff matchup with the Denver Broncos on Sunday. “Something that’s really exciting. But it’s kind of hard to pinpoint what’s different.”

Knox, a tight end, has been a key contributor in the Bills’ playoff runs, scoring six touchdowns in 10 career playoff games. “Thankfully, me and Josh [Allen] have built up that chemistry, but I don’t think it’s anything different,” Knox said. “It is funny though looking at the stats of it. That’s something I haven’t noticed until someone pointed it out to me.”

While Knox’s on-field performance has been notable, his off-field impact is equally significant. Later this year, he will be honored by former Bills quarterback Frank Reich with the Call to Courage award for his faith, character, leadership, and service to the community. “It’s definitely an honor, but all the glory goes to God,” Knox said. “It’s nothing that I’ve done; it’s just the ways He’s been working in my life and the things He’s blessed me with that I can use to try to bless other people.”

Central to Knox’s community service is his work with the P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative. Through initiatives like “Dawson’s Locker,” he provides essentials such as gas cards, grocery cards, and parking vouchers to families dealing with pediatric cancer in Western New York. “Seeing kids in the hospital and families that are dealing with some of life’s hardest circumstances,” Knox said, “being able to go in there and bring a smile to a face, to be able to give out a little stuffed animal here and there, that kind of makes me feel like what I’m doing is worth it.”

Knox’s commitment to helping others is deeply personal. In honor of his late brother Luke, he launched “Luke’s Locker” at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee. The initiative, supported by donations from Bills fans, assists families facing cancer in his hometown. “It’s a dream come true,” Knox said. “To allow his legacy to keep going on, blessing other families just through his name, I know he’s happy about it up in heaven.”

As Knox prepares for another playoff run, his focus remains on giving his all—both on and off the field. The Bills, who have made the postseason in seven of the last eight seasons, are aiming to overcome past playoff disappointments and finally capture a Super Bowl title. “Remembering that I think kind of fuels your motivation for how hard you work now,” Knox said. “It kind of reminds you that this time of year, nothing’s guaranteed. You win or you go home.”