Alex Singleton has packed a torn ACL, a winding path to the NFL and a cancer diagnosis into the last two years. Now the Denver Broncos linebacker is trying to keep all of it in separate boxes, focusing on the task directly in front of him instead of letting tomorrow crowd the room.
During a Friday meeting with local media in Englewood, Singleton said his guiding principle is simple: “Be where your feet are.” As detailed by The Denver Gazette, he planned to spend his next stretch of time in a hyperbaric chamber and think about that—not the Broncos’ next walkthrough or practice.
The Diagnosis Came From An Unexpected Signal
Singleton’s cancer was discovered in November 2025 after a random NFL drug test showed elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG. ESPN reported that the abnormal result prompted medical follow-up, which led to the discovery of a cancerous testicular tumor.
He underwent surgery on Nov. 7, then returned to the field just two weeks later. The Broncos said Singleton missed only one game during the 2025 season, came back after the team’s Week 12 bye and still finished as Denver’s leading tackler with 135 stops, according to the Broncos’ official account.
From Career Detours To Denver’s Middle Linebacker
Singleton’s ability to narrow his focus was forged long before the cancer diagnosis. After playing his final college game for Montana State in 2014, he was signed and released by Seattle, New England and Minnesota over 18 months before finding a foothold with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, the Denver Gazette noted.
He eventually reached Philadelphia in 2019 and became a starting linebacker after an injury opened the door in 2020. Singleton led the Eagles in tackles that season and again in 2021, then signed with Denver in 2022 and led the Broncos in tackles three times across his first four seasons with the team.
A Veteran Approach For A Fresh Broncos Season
The perspective has also changed how Singleton views life away from football. In a December 2025 interview with ESPN, he described surgery, follow-up appointments and blood work as experiences that made ordinary moments with his wife and daughter feel more vivid.
That mindset is now carrying into another Broncos season. Denver re-signed Singleton to a two-year contract in March, and the 32-year-old captain is approaching training camp with what he called a beginner’s mindset: learn the next thing, enjoy the process and let the next day arrive when it gets there.
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