While TE Dawson Knox's game-winning touchdown allowed the Bills to come away with the victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, it meant more than just those six points.
Following the win, Knox's teammates and head coach Sean McDermott acknowledged the strength and resilience he has shown since his younger brother Luke suddenly passed away in August. While he could've taken time away from football to spend it with his family, he instead decided to return to his team and be surrounded by 'people that love him and see him triumph.'
"A guy like that battling each and every day regardless of what's going on with his life," Diggs said. "It kind of gives you like a, damn, he has the courage and the will to be like, I can do it. Trying to just love him up and keep him in that good space. To see him have the game-winning touchdown, it's like, 'OK, Knox. Good [expletive]."
After seeing how the tight end has faced challenges both in life and on the field with determination and adversity, everybody in the Bills locker would speak to how deserving Knox was of that touchdown - especially his head coach, who preaches the importance of perspective when it comes to life outside of the sport.
"You watch guys go through the journey of life off the field, and he's been through it," McDermott said. "He stuck with it and has been resilient. And he's been banged up a little bit. You just knew his time was coming, you just knew he was going to make a big play - and he did. My hat goes off to him."
"For 88 to come out in the end and make that play, that's the first person you want to see make a play, especially with what he has gone through this year," WR Gabe Davis added. "I am happy to see what he did and help us win."
Knox had three receptions for 27 yards, and one go-ahead TD that came with 1:04 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. QB Josh Allen connected with Knox in the end zone, with just inches to spare, on a 14-yard pass to give the Bills a crucial 24-20 lead late in the game. And as soon as Knox got up from the play, he pointed up to the sky and later shared on social media that his touchdown was for Luke.
"Josh (Allen) just threw a dime," Knox said. "I had a corner route, (WR Stefon Diggs) had an option route underneath. The fun part about playing with a receiver like 'Stef,' is he's going to attract a lot of attention, so that leaves me one-on-one in some situations. Josh just put it where no one else could get it."
To get Knox the TD pass at such an important time in the game meant a lot to Allen, who shared how proud he is of his resilient teammate.
"I love the guy," Allen said. "He's one of the most loved guys in our locker room. He's got a smile on his face 24/7. He deserves that. We have to keep getting him involved in this game plan going forward because he's a special player."
Fellow tight end Tommy Sweeney sees the work Knox puts in day in and day out, and also spoke highly of 'the tremendous worker, player, and person' his teammate is after seeing Knox get his first TD of the season.
"His handling of it has been unbelievable and it's showing on the field," Sweeney said. "In a play like that, with that guy in front waving his hands around and with an unbelievable throw by 17, of course, but that's an unbelievable catch by him down the sideline. That's who he is."
