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Former Ole Miss linebacker and tight end Luke Knox, the brother of Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox, has died at the age of 22.
Knox spent his first three collegiate seasons at Ole Miss before transferring to Florida International University this offseason.
FIU head coach Mike MacIntyre, who had also coached Knox as a defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, announced news of his death on Thursday (August 18).
"Words cannot express the heartfelt sorrow we feel because of the passing of our teammate and friend Luke Knox," MacIntyre said in his statement shared on his verified Twitter account. "I had the honor of coaching Luke at Ole Miss and FIU. While I admired his passion for football, his genuine love for his family and teammates is what I will always remember. He had a special way of making everyone around him feel comfortable and confident. Luke's family is special to me, and they will continually be in my heart and prayers during this difficult time."
Bills head coach Sean McDermott also addressed news of Knox's death during his press conference Thursday morning.
“Tough morning, our hearts go out to Dawson and his family," McDermott said. "We love him and we support him. Tragic news."
Knox, a former three-star high school football prospect, redshirted after appearing in one game for Ole Miss in 2018 before contributing at the linebacker position in 2019.
The Tennessee native recorded 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass deflections during his redshirt freshman season.
Knox recorded one tackle in 2020 before converting to tight end -- a position his brother played at Ole Miss from 2016-18 -- during the 2021 season.
A cause of death has not been announced as of Thursday.