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Florida International LB Luke Knox dies at 22

Florida International linebacker Luke Knox has died. He was 22.

Knox’s death was announced Thursday morning by FIU coach Mike MacIntyre. The coach did not reveal Knox’s cause of death.

“Words cannot express the heartfelt sorrow we feel because of the passing of our teammate and friend, Luke Knox," MacIntyre wrote. "I had the honor of coaching Luke at Ole Miss and at 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 my prayers during this difficult time. On behalf of the entire FIU football family, I extend sincere condolences to Luke’s family and all who love him.”

Luke Knox is the younger brother of Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox, who was a standout at Ole Miss before being selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Luke Knox transferred from Ole Miss to FIU in the offseason. He saw significant playing time as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and made two starts for the Rebels. He had ten tackles overall that season.

After playing in three games in 2020, Knox moved to tight end during spring practices ahead of the 2021 season. He ended up back at linebacker during the season and had 11 tackles in seven games in addition to a fumble recovery.

"We are saddened by the sudden passing of Luke Knox, a member of the FIU Football program. We send our thoughts and prayers to Luke's family, friends and teammates during this difficult time," FIU Athletics said in a statement. "Coaches and support staff have been reaching out to our football family and will continue to do so to ensure our student-athletes have the support they need."

Knox was a native of Brentwood, Tennessee. His former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin also released a statement on Thursday about his death.

"There are heavy hearts throughout our football team after the passing of Luke Knox," Kiffin wrote. "I am very grateful for my personal relationship and time spent with Luke. He was a tremendous teammate and an even better person who lifted up everyone around him. The Knox family means so much to the Ole Miss family and our players, staff and the rest of the university extend our deepest sympathies to all those that were touched by Luke's spirit. I know he is with God now."