Alex Singleton: Denver’s Tackling Maniac Isn’t Slowing Down

Training camp in late July is hell on Earth. The sun’s cooking, players are dripping sweat before warm-ups even start, and most guys look like they’d rather be anywhere else. But there was Alex Singleton, mainstay of the Denver Broncos defense, jogging back out onto the practice field with his right hand wrapped up like a boxing glove after thumb surgery. The dude literally had a club for a hand and was acting as if nothing had happened.

That’s just who he is. He doesn’t care about the pain, doesn’t care about looking pretty. He just wants to stop whoever is carrying the football.

Singleton’s not flashy. He’s not gonna pick off five passes or pop up on highlight reels every week. But when you look at the stat sheet, it’s insane. Since 2020, he’s piled up 600-plus tackles, which is sixth in the whole league. In 2023, his last full season? A jaw-dropping 175 tackles. That’s the most by any Bronco in over three decades. And 13 double-digit tackle games. Thirteen!

Some defenders just have a nose for the ball. That’s Singleton. If there’s contact happening, he’s there.

When word came down on July 29 that he broke his thumb, Broncos fans were like, “Great… just what we need.” The following day, surgery. Normally, that’s a recipe for sitting out a chunk of camp. But Sean Payton downplayed the concern.

“If we had a playoff game tomorrow, he’d be out there with a club on his hand,” Payton told reporters.

Sure enough, about a week later, Singleton was back on the field—thumb wrapped, still finding ways to lay people out. No hype, no hoopla and no excuses.

Singleton’s short absence gave undrafted rookie Levelle Bailey a chance to run with the starters. Credit to the kid—he looked solid. Even Payton said, “He’s had a few good days, real good days… man, he’s in good shape.”

But let’s be real. Bailey isn’t taking Singleton’s job. Not when even the newly acquired Dre Greenlaw, who just came over from the 49ers, is already calling him out as the guy:

“He’s a tackling machine. He’s going to fight, he’s going to battle, and he’s going to give it everything he has on every single play.”

That’s straight from a linebacker who’s played next to a 4-time All-Pro, Fred Warner.

The best part about Singleton is that he’s not satisfied with just being “solid.” When asked about the defense, he didn’t say, “We want to improve” or “be a top unit.” He wants to set the bar higher:

“Let’s be better than the 2015 defense,” he said. “We have to be the best every single day to get where we want to go.”

The 2015 “No Fly Zone” Broncos D propelled the team to a Lombardi. Singleton’s not shy about wanting that comparison.

Even with the thumb hindering him, he was still rated as the top Bronco in the preseason opener. Pro Football Focus slapped him with an 89.9—best on the team. Yeah, it’s just preseason, but still, it shows he hasn’t missed a beat.

As soon as the depth charts came out, it was no shock—Singleton’s locked in as the starting inside linebacker alongside Greenlaw. With Drew Sanders shelved for now, his role is even more important.

Superstar Pat Surtain is the face of the defense. Greenlaw adds fire. Singleton is the glue. He’s the steady presence in the middle, the guy who’ll throw himself into any pile just to stop a run at two yards instead of four.

So, how has he looked this camp and preseason? Pretty much like the same old Alex Singleton—tough, reliable, and impossible to keep off the field.

When the season kicks off, don’t be surprised if he’s once again leading the team—and maybe the whole league—in tackles. That’s just who he is. No thumb injury, no padded club, nothing’s keeping him out of the action.