FanPost

Dawson Knox and the Kung Fu Catch

Last October Matt Parrino, who writes for a Syracuse publication, wrote an article titled "Bills’ Dawson Knox is NFL’s best tight end through 5 weeks, and Travis Kelce helped him do it". Parrino described how Knox prepared in the offseason. In addition to working out with Josh Allen, Dawson hired a vision specialist to get specialized coaching on his hand-eye coordination. Then after the Bills minicamp, Knox attended Tight End University to work with Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen among other veterans. One interesting anecdote was that when doing film study, Kelce called himself ‘the Picasso of routes’.

Kelce is the football player equivalent of being a corporate ‘Market Leader’ who understands how to expand the value of the ‘NFL Tight End Market’. He does this by promoting National Tight Ends Day in October, and through his summer Tight End University clinic.

While seeing Dawson Knox’s progress this season, I was reminded of the 1970’s TV series ‘Kung Fu’ starring David Carradine. Each episode had flashback scenes showing the younger Caine, a.k.a. Grasshopper, growing up in a Shaolin monastery. Caine learned important life lessons, and occasionally attempted to snatch the pebble from the Master’s outstretched hand.

When describing the amazing TD catch by Dawson Knox on the Bills first drive against New England, BR’s Sean Murphy wrote that Dawson Knox "did his best impression of both Dwight Clark and David Tyree, snaring a leaping helmet catch in the back of the end zone to give the Bills a lead."

Josh Allen stated to the press "I did not mean for that to happen but Dawson was in the right place at the right time". Perhaps Josh gave the press that version of events because he didn’t want to reveal that this TD catch by Knox was actually the equivalent of snatching the pebble from the Master’s hand. Whatever the case, in my book Dawson has graduated from the Tight End Monastery/University.

I wonder if Dawson Knox has heard the mantras from ‘Kung Fu’ that seem applicable to high end NFL tight Ends: From the Crane, we learn grace and self-control; The Snake teaches us suppleness and rhythmic endurance; The Praying Mantis teaches us speed and patience; From the Tiger, we learn tenacity and power; And from the Dragon, we learn to ride the wind.

When seeing a Replay of that now famous Knox TD, what I hear is: "When you can snatch the pebble from my hand, it will be time for you to leave." — Master Kan



Just another great fan opinion shared on the pages of BuffaloRumblings.com.