Getty Lorenzo Alexander makes a tackle in a Buffalo Bills game.
After a successful 13-year NFL career that included four breakout seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Lorenzo Alexander’s life is taking him in a new and different direction.
The fan-favorite player became a professional mentor after his NFL career came to an end following the 2019 season, and he just fulfilled a major post-football goal. Alexander took to Twitter on May 3 to share a big accomplishment in his life — graduating from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix with a master’s degree in psychology. Making the moment even more special was the fact that Alexander graduated alongside his oldest daughter.
My oldest set the bar & I followed in her footsteps and today we get to experience graduating together for earning our Master of Science in Psychology #GCU2023
“My oldest set the bar & I followed in her footsteps and today we get to experience graduating together for earning our Master of Science in Psychology,” he tweeted.
Former Bills Star Building New Skills
As The Athletic’s Tim Graham reported in 2021, Alexander stayed close to sports after his NFL career came to an end. He joined a Western New York marketing agency called Avalon Sports, taking on a role as a mentor to younger players. He was able to work with some of his former Bills teammates like Shaq Lawson and newer members of the Bills, including running back Zack Moss.
Alexander said at the time that he wanted to help young players navigate a difficult world.
“Age does not make you a man. Money does not make you a man,” Alexander told The Athletic. “The decisions you make and the way you treat people is what makes you a man.
“The quicker you go through that maturation process the better man you are, the better player you’ll be, the better husband or father you’ll be and the better your legacy will be.”
As Graham reported, one of Alexander’s major goals was to continue his education, building on the undergraduate degree he earned at the University of California at Berkeley.
“Never one to assume he has it all figured out, Alexander isn’t going to assume his athletic credentials and natural communications acumen are enough for Avalon,” Graham reported. “The job has led Alexander, now living in suburban Phoenix, to pursue a master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis on life coaching from Grand Canyon University.”
Lorenzo Alexander Was Popular With Bills Fans
Alexander had an unusual turn to his NFL career when he joined the Bills. After spending nine seasons mostly playing as a reserve and special teams player, he found a starting role with the Bills after signing in 2016. Though Alexander had just nine career sacks through nine seasons to that point, he had a breakout year with 12.5 sacks, earning second-team All-Pro honors and being named to the Pro Bowl.
Alexander was part of the Bills team that broke the franchise-record 17-year playoff drought in 2017, then retired following the team’s 2020 playoff loss to the Houston Texans. At the time, Alexander said he was ready to spend more time with his family.
“I could continue to play on and on and on, but that deters from me being able to be there for my kids,” Alexander said, via Kimberly Jones of NFL.com. “Obviously, emotionally, spiritually, and then physically, because the more I play, the more injuries that I will succumb to eventually just because of age and wear and tear. And I really want to be able to be an active dad, hanging out with them, playing with them, taking them on trips. I don’t want to be a guy that’s just old and can’t move too much because I played too long. So I’m happy about walking away. I’m at peace with it, because I’m choosing my kids and my family and my wife, versus not choosing football.”
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Popular Ex-Bills Star Takes Major Step in New Post-NFL Career