Nashville Tornado: How Bills' Dawson Knox Is Helping Relief Efforts

In the days following the March 3 tornado that caused heavy damage in Nashville and across Middle Tennessee, residents and outsiders alike have been trying to raise money for the recovery efforts. Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox, who was born just outside of Nashville, came up with a unique idea. He will be giving away autographed merchandise to those that donate money.

Knox revealed his plan on Twitter and only asked his followers to do two things to be eligible in the contest. He wanted them to retweet the post in order to reach more potential donors. He also wanted his fans to donate $10 for the recovery efforts.

Those that followed Knox's instructions would be entered to win signed gear from either him or Tennessee Titans wide receiver AJ Brown. This included photos, gloves, and cleats.

Knox created a GoFundMe campaign to assist with raising the money. He set an initial goal of $5,000 and has raised $4,240 as of Monday morning. All of the money that he raises will be donated to Hands On Nashville, Inc.

Several prominent figures have been trying to get involved in the days following the tornado that touched down on March 3. Among those were the Tennessee Titans. The organization donated $1 million to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Players and coaches alike also hit the streets to help provide food and water, as well as assist in cleanup efforts.

The Nashville Predators opened the doors of Bridgestone Arena in the hours following the tornado in order to provide free pizza for those that had been affected by the storms. The fans in Nashville have supported the Predators since their first season in 1998, and the team wanted to repay the love following the massive storm.


There is a considerable amount of work remaining to get Nashville and Middle Tennessee back to full strength, but the current and former residents are dedicated to the cause. Those in the area will continue to help with cleanup while figures in other parts of the country will try to raise some crucial funds for those affected by the tornado.

(Photo Credit: Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)