BUFFALO, N.Y. — South Park football coach Tim Delaney has built a winning tradition with a state championship to his credit, but the mission means more than trophies.

"It's not about accolades or money or anything else," Delany said. "It's just we're trying to do things the right way. We're trying to have kids become positive members of society."

Since June, he and his staff have had a little extra help from a big name in Buffalo sports. Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander has been serving as a mentor to the team.

"I wanted to be intentionally more involved in the community and find a group of young men that I could partner with," Alexander said.

He helps them with workouts and how to become better players, but helping them become a better people is his true aim.

"It's really nice to have someone else step in that plays professional football and comes from a very similar background," Delaney said.

Alexander has been to their games. He's given the players shoes, clothes, school supplies, even Christmas gifts to families in need. And his generosity doesn't stop there.

"It's more than just you have an event here or there, but it's a real friendship where they feel comfortable enough to text me when something's going down maybe at home or they're faced with a tough decision," Alexander said. "Even if it's late night and it's like, 'Hey I need you to come and get me.'"  

The players on the team come from an urban environment and some face challenges such as poverty, hunger and broken homes. Alexander hopes to provide them with another positive influence, much the way Delaney does.

When several South Park players decided to kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice, Alexander was there with advice — coming from a man who faced the same choice in the NFL.

"I asked them, 'why are you kneeling' and they could see some of the same things in their communities that were being talked about on a national level and it was just a way for them to have a voice as well," Alexander said.

While he's been giving of his time, energy and resources for the Sparks' football program, Alexander also gave Coach Delaney a big surprise back in December. As the Bills' Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Alexander is sending Delaney and his dad to Super Bowl 52 in Minneapolis this weekend.

"Obviously thrilled," Delaney said. "Getting to take my father, the person who introduced me to football and getting to share a once in a lifetime experience with him and go to the Super Bowl. It's outstanding."

Alexander draws inspiration from the watching Delaney's dedication to his players, on and off the field. It reminds him of coach and father figure from his past, his Uncle Steve. That's the reason he gave his Super Bowl tickets to Delaney.

"Seeing who he was. Seeing his genuine attitude toward helping the community and helping these kids," Alexander said. "It was an easy decision for me. Tim was the first guy to come to my mind.”