Buffalo Bills Surprise Adolph Dupre, Longtime Special Olympics Athlete, With Super Bowl Trip

For Adolph Dupre, the moment the Buffalo Bills surprised him with Super Bowl tickets was about far more than football. It was a celebration of decades of dedication, leadership, and community through Special Olympics New York.

Adolph, a lifelong Bills fan and longtime Special Olympics athlete and coach, was honored on the field during a Buffalo Bills game at Highmark Stadium earlier this season, where the team surprised him with tickets to the Super Bowl.

“It meant so much to me,” shared Adolph. “I was completely surprised. It’s something I’ll never forget, and I can’t wait for the experience.”

The recognition carried special meaning for Adolph, who has spent more than 40 years with Special Olympics New York. Over that time, he has competed in and coached a wide range of sports, including basketball, floor hockey, powerlifting, track and field, soccer, bocce, volleyball, and bowling.

Adolph has long been a familiar and beloved presence within the Buffalo Bills organization, regularly attending training camps at St. John Fisher University alongside other Special Olympics NY athletes for more than two decades.

“Adolph is Mr. Personality,” said Pat Dadey, Adolph’s longtime coach and close friend. “Everyone knows him. Everyone loves him. When he didn’t show up one year while he was battling cancer, people around the organization started asking where he was. That’s the kind of impact he has had around the team.”

Pat, who will be accompanying Adolph to the Super Bowl, said it couldn’t have happened to a better person.

“To see that moment happen for him, especially after everything he’s been through, was incredible,” Pat said. “I was just so happy for him.”

But what makes the honor even more meaningful isn’t just the destination, but the journey that led them there. Adolph first met Pat at the New York State Games in Ithaca in 1992, beginning a coach-athlete relationship that grew into a lifelong bond built on trust, support, and shared experiences.

“We’re like brothers,” Pat said. “We’ve been together for 35 years. He sang at my wedding. He sang at my daughter’s funeral. We’ve been through so much together. That’s what Special Olympics is. It’s one big family.”

Of course, the two try to watch as many Bills games together as possible. And even when they aren’t together at the stadium or in front of the TV, their Sundays still revolve around football.

“I’ll get at least five or six calls every game,” Pat said with a laugh. “He always has ideas about what the Bills should do better, and I love every one of those calls.”

That same sense of care and connection carries over onto the playing field. Whether as an athlete or a coach, Adolph has built meaningful relationships with everyone around him.

“He’s such an important part of our team,” Pat said. “He remembers people’s names, their birthdays, details about their lives. He has an incredible memory and an even better heart. Everybody loves being around him.”

As Adolph transitioned from athlete to coach, he naturally stepped into a leadership role, becoming a role model for younger athletes across the program. His approach to leadership is rooted in encouragement and leading by example.

“It’s all about showing good sportsmanship,” Adolph said. “I used to be an athlete playing alongside these guys, and now I’m a coach. The athletes look up to me, and now they want to become coaches after they’re finished playing.”

For Adolph and Pat, the upcoming trip is just another chapter in a journey defined by connection and commitment, built through decades of competition, coaching, and community made possible by Special Olympics New York.

“Being part of the group, we’re there to have fun,” Pat said. “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. It’s how you play the game.”

“You’re going to have fun,” Adolph added. “And I promise you’ll make lifelong friends.”

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