In a season where grit and resilience have defined the Denver Broncos’ locker room, linebacker Alex Singleton has stood out-not just for his play, but for his unwavering toughness and leadership. On Thursday, the team announced that Singleton is the Broncos’ 2025 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, a recognition that speaks volumes about the kind of teammate and person he is.
This isn’t just about football. Singleton’s journey over the past 15 months has been nothing short of remarkable.
Earlier this season, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. And yet, just days after receiving that diagnosis, he suited up and took the field against the Raiders.
Surgery followed, and incredibly, he missed just one game before returning to action. That kind of resolve doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, but it echoes through a locker room.
Speaking on Good Morning America in November, Singleton opened up about what the experience taught him. “I’ve learned more in this past week just of compassion and empathy through a bunch of tough dudes than, you know, anything else I think I’ve ever gone through,” he said. That’s the kind of perspective that goes beyond the game-it speaks to the heart of what this award represents.
But Singleton’s story of perseverance didn’t start this year. The Broncos also pointed to his 2024 season, when he tore his ACL in a game against the Buccaneers-then finished the game.
That alone would be enough to earn respect in any NFL locker room. But what followed was just as impressive: a relentless rehab process that brought him back for the bulk of the 2025 season.
And he hasn’t just returned-he’s thrived. Singleton has played in 14 games this year and leads the Broncos in tackles with 111.
Over his 50 career games in Denver, he’s racked up 469 tackles, three sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He’s been a constant presence in the middle of the defense, the kind of player who always seems to be around the ball-and the kind of leader teammates rally around.
The Ed Block Courage Award is about more than just stats or highlight-reel plays. It’s about recognizing players who demonstrate courage in the face of adversity, both on and off the field.
For Singleton, that recognition feels earned in every sense of the word. His toughness, his leadership, and his ability to inspire-those are the qualities that made this decision a clear one for the Broncos.
Denver’s past recipients of the award include P.J. Locke (2024), Javonte Williams (2023), KJ Hamler (2022), and Courtland Sutton (2021)-all players who’ve faced significant challenges and come out stronger on the other side. Singleton now joins that list, adding another chapter to a career built on resilience.
The award itself, named after longtime Baltimore Colts trainer Ed Block, has been a league-wide tradition since 1984. It honors players who embody courage, sportsmanship, and inspiration-values that Singleton has lived out in real time this season.
In a league where toughness is often defined by what happens between the whistles, Alex Singleton has shown that true courage runs much deeper.