Dawson Knox returned home, back to the place where he became a high school football star.

The Buffalo Bills tight end hosted a youth football camp on July 10 at his alma mater, Brentwood Academy.

“This community is very special to me, and this is just a little something I can do to give back,” Knox said.

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Kids from grades three through eight were there to participate, some in Bills gear and others representing Knox’s college, Ole Miss.

The Knox family has a rich history with Brentwood Academy that dates back before Dawson. His parents, David and Rachel, attended the school and starting dating when they were freshmen. They stayed in Nashville, where his father played basketball at Belmont. Eventually, Dawson attended the same school his parents did and played football for the Eagles.

“My first year as a starter was my senior year and I dislocated my ankle during the first game, but I threw a touchdown pass as the starting quarterback so that was pretty awesome,” Dawson said. “I still have great memories of being a good teammate and trying to lead guys from the sidelines. I just love this place.”

After high school, Dawson played at Ole Miss, where he was originally a preferred walk on after missing his senior season to the ankle injury. Playing for former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, Dawson moved to tight end after taking snaps at wide receiver and quarterback. In 2019, he was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills.

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While he resides in New York catching touchdown passes from Josh Allen, Dawson tries to come home when he can and wants to continue hosting this camp.

“This is only the second year, but we plan on doing a lot more,” he said.

It goes beyond football. There are things the Pro Bowler looks to teach the kids on the field, but the tight end feels deeply called by his faith to show them more.

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“I view everything I’ve been given as a blessing from the Lord. I think my main calling is to bless others with what you’ve been blessed with,” Dawson said.

By the end of the night, Dawson wanted the campers to understand a saying that he lives by.

“How you do anything is how you do everything,” he said. “Whether it’s helping a teammate out on the field or doing a drill the right way, that also bleeds over into doing your homework, listening to your parents and being the right type of friend.”

Though his high school career at Brentwood Academy was cut short, there’s just something about being on that field. Whether it was the track meets or practices twice a day in the blazing summer heat, it holds a special place in Knox’s heart.

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All of the memories came flooding back and now he gets to make new ones.

“I’m just looking forward to this next generation of Brentwood Academy students,” Dawson said. “It’s awesome just to run around with the kids and teach them stuff.”

Alaina Morris is the summer sports intern for The Tennessean. Contact her at amorris@gannett.com or on X @alainammorris.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Dawson Knox returned to Brentwood Academy for free football camp