Dawson Knox Bio
Dawson Alan Knox is an American professional football tight end for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and was selected by the Bills in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft. Over the course of his NFL career, Knox has developed into a dependable pass catcher and a steady presence in Buffalo’s offensive scheme.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches and weighing around 254 pounds, Knox combines the size of a traditional in-line tight end with the speed needed to stretch the field. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2022 and signed a major contract extension that same year, underscoring his value to the Bills. Off the field, he is recognized for his charitable work and for the resilience he has shown following family tragedy.
Early Life and Background
Dawson Alan Knox was born on November 14, 1996, in Brentwood, Tennessee. He grew up in the Nashville suburb and attended St. Paul Christian Academy before finishing his high school years at Brentwood Academy. At Brentwood Academy, he played wide receiver and quarterback for the football team, showing early versatility as a skill position player.
Knox’s senior season was cut short when he appeared in only one game due to an ankle injury. Despite the limited playing time, his size and athletic potential were enough to attract college interest, and he ultimately chose to continue his football career at the University of Mississippi. His Tennessee upbringing and multi-sport high school experience helped shape the physical, competitive profile that would later translate to the professional level.
Path to American Football
Knox joined the Ole Miss Rebels in 2015 as a walk-on fullback, a position far removed from the pass-catching tight end role he would eventually master. His early work in the Rebels’ program focused on blocking fundamentals, conditioning, and learning the team’s offensive system. As he developed, coaches began to feature him more frequently as a receiver out of the backfield and along the line of scrimmage.
By the time he finished his college career in 2018, Knox had recorded 39 receptions for 605 yards across his Ole Miss tenure. After his junior season, he decided to forgo his senior year and enter the 2019 NFL draft. His combination of size, straight-line speed, and red-zone potential made him an intriguing prospect, and the Buffalo Bills used the 96th overall pick in the third round to secure his services.
Dawson Knox Career
Early Career (2019–2020)
Knox signed his rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills on June 14, 2019, and quickly began working into the team’s offensive plans. On September 22, 2019, he caught his first NFL touchdown from quarterback Josh Allen against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, finishing the game with three receptions for 67 yards and a score in a 21–17 Bills victory. His rookie season produced 28 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns, providing a glimpse of his future role in the passing game.
In 2020, Knox played in 12 games and started seven, recording 24 receptions for 288 yards and three touchdowns. He was briefly placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list in October before being activated in early November. In the playoffs that year, he caught a two-yard touchdown from Allen in Buffalo’s Wild Card win over the Indianapolis Colts and added six catches for 42 yards and a score in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
NFL Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Knox emerged as a more prominent piece of Buffalo’s passing attack during the 2021 season. In Week 4, he scored two receiving touchdowns in a 40–0 win over the Houston Texans, and in Week 5 he produced three receptions for 117 yards and a score against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 38–20 victory. On Thanksgiving Day against the New Orleans Saints, he caught two more touchdowns to raise his season total to seven, surpassing the Bills’ franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season by a tight end.
On September 7, 2022, the Bills rewarded Knox with a four-year, $53.6 million contract extension, placing him among the league’s highest-paid tight ends. He responded with 48 receptions for 517 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl for his efforts. Knox also scored a receiving touchdown in the Bills’ 34–31 Wild Card win over the Miami Dolphins that postseason.
Buffalo Bills Era (2023–Present)
The Bills used a first-round pick on tight end Dalton Kincaid in the 2023 NFL draft, signaling an intent to deploy more two-tight-end looks. Knox’s 2023 season was interrupted in late October when he was placed on injured reserve after wrist surgery, but he returned in early December and finished the year with 22 receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns. He added another receiving score in Buffalo’s Wild Card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2024, Knox posted 22 receptions for 311 yards and one touchdown while continuing to serve as a key piece of Buffalo’s offense. During the 2025 season, he led the Bills in receiving in a Week 14 comeback win over the Bengals with 93 yards and then scored two touchdowns the following week in a 35–31 victory over the New England Patriots. In that Patriots game, he surpassed Pete Metzelaars for the most career touchdowns by a tight end in Bills history. He finished 2025 with 36 receptions for 417 yards and four touchdowns, and on March 10, 2026, he re-signed with the Bills on a three-year contract.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the field, Knox is valued for his combination of size, catch radius, and ability to work the middle of the field. He is a strong red-zone target who can use his frame to shield defenders and finish in traffic, and he has developed a productive rapport with quarterback Josh Allen. His willingness to block in the run game and his dependability on third down have made him a well-rounded contributor within the Bills’ offense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Knox’s first NFL touchdown against Cincinnati in 2019 announced his arrival in the league, and his 2021 Thanksgiving performance set a new Bills single-season record for tight-end receiving scores. His 2022 Pro Bowl nod and lucrative contract extension cemented his status as a focal point of Buffalo’s offense, while his 2025 record-breaking performance against the Patriots placed him atop the franchise’s all-time tight-end touchdown list.
Dawson Knox Career Wins
Across his NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, Dawson Knox has been part of a sustained contender in the AFC and has authored several signature individual performances. While team championships have eluded him, his résumé includes a Pro Bowl selection, franchise records, and a string of important postseason contributions.
Buffalo Bills Highlights
Knox has helped the Bills to multiple playoff appearances and a pair of deep January runs, including the 2020 AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He set the Bills’ single-season record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end in 2021 and later surpassed Pete Metzelaars for the most career touchdowns by a tight end in franchise history. His four-year, $53.6 million extension in 2022 and his three-year re-signing in 2026 reflect the organization’s long-term confidence in his role.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Knox has partnered with P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative, an organization founded by former Bills punter Brian Moorman, to support children and families affected by cancer. He also made a guest cameo as himself in the 2025 Hallmark Channel original film Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story, expanding his presence beyond the football field.
Dawson Knox Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Knox comes from a family with a strong athletic connection to Ole Miss. His younger brother, Luke Knox, played linebacker for the Ole Miss Rebels and was preparing to play the 2022 season for the Florida International University Panthers as a graduate transfer. Luke Knox died on August 17, 2022, following a sudden hospitalization, a loss that Dawson has spoken about as a defining moment in his life.
Personal Life
Knox is a Christian and has been open about the role of faith in his life. He became engaged to personal trainer Alex Seefeldt in late November 2023 and announced the engagement on Instagram in December of that year. The couple married in July 2024, and in December 2025 they welcomed a daughter, a milestone Knox honored with a touchdown celebration against the New England Patriots in Week 15 of that season.
2025 Season Performance
Dawson Knox’s 2025 season offered a powerful reminder of his value to the Buffalo Bills. Although his overall production reflected a complementary role alongside younger pass catchers, he delivered some of the most important games of the year. In Week 14, he led the team in receiving yards during a 39–34 comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and one week later he scored two touchdowns to help Buffalo erase a 21–0 deficit against the New England Patriots.
The Patriots game carried extra weight, as his touchdowns pushed him past Pete Metzelaars for the most career touchdowns by a tight end in Bills history. He finished the 2025 regular season with 36 receptions for 417 yards and four touchdowns, consistent production that helped Buffalo remain in playoff contention. Coming out of the year, Knox re-signed with the Bills on a three-year contract in March 2026, signaling that the franchise still views him as a central part of its offensive future.
