Lorenzo Alexander will be the Legend of the Game for the Buffalo Bills' home regular season finale against the New England Patriots.
"I'm excited, it's always good to be back in Buffalo and catch up with the guys and people in the building and friends that I made over the years in the Buffalo community, so I'm definitely looking forward to it," Alexander said.
Alexander, an Oakland native, attended the University of California, Berkeley before signing with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2005. As he worked his way to the league through various training camps, Alexander played a variety of positions, from offensive and defensive line to tight end, before making his NFL regular season debut in 2007 with Washington.
"It was essential that I created value outside of whatever my main position was," Alexander said. "It gave me roster flexibility if they wanted to keep a certain amount of positions in one group so it gave me a better chance to make the team and then I think just as I grew as a football player, it gave me a better understanding of how things worked from a schematic standpoint that allowed me to thrive later on in my career."
Alexander had his best season as a pro after signing a one-year deal with Buffalo in 2016. As an outside linebacker, Alexander tallied 12.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception and earned his second Pro Bowl nod – where he was named the Defensive MVP in the AFC's 20-13 victory.
"I got a chance to play with Kyle Williams, one of the best dudes to ever do it from an interior standpoint," Alexander said on what helped him find success in 2016. "I really meshed well with those guys and I think it was just a great point in my career where everything kind of came together."
Alexander spent the final four seasons of his career in Buffalo, playing alongside the likes of Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and several other longtime Bills.
That's one of the cool things about playing is watching those guys take the reins," Alexander said. "It's rewarding in a lot of ways, because I feel like a big brother to a lot of those guys."
The Bills will take on the Patriots at 1 p.m. at Highmark Stadium.
