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Broncos Linebacker Tackles A Cause That’s Deeply Personal
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- Broncos Linebacker Tackles A Cause That’s Deeply Personal
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Every NFL player has pivot ponts in their careers that helps define their personal journey, but Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton has a cause that's far more personal than that of the Broncos key linebacker, according to a feature from Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
His pivot point happened last season when Singleton received a diagnosis that he had testicular cancer. It happened during routine texting, and that was when Singleton met Kim Jones, who is the founder and CEO of the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation.
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Singleton underwent surgery and after a one-game absence he returned to the field and decided to go public about his experience. Jones lost her son to the disease when he was 22, and the connection that happened between them is both powerful and natural.
The linebacker has attended multiple events to raise awareness and support, and he's enlisted his teammates to get involved as well. He raises money everywhere he goes, and he's part of a campaign where every tackle he makes helps the cause.
It's been a fruitful campaign so far. Singleton is leading the league in tackles with 87, and he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Arizona Cardinals.
The cause aligns with his approach to linebacking. That might sound odd, but fellow linebacker Justin Strnad says there's no halfway with Singleton with anything he does, as he always goes "all in."
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Singleton even attended the Indy 500 as part of a promotion, and he impressed everyone he talked to as being down to earth and someone who was easy to talk to, rather than just a pro football player who was just there to do a promotion.
B.J. Lange is a comedian, actor, former Air Force medic and two-time testicular cancer survivor who has gotten to know Singleton since they met at the Indy 500, and he characterized the Broncos star as "someone who just wants to do the best that he possibly can" in life as well as football.
Singleton played just hours after he got the diagnosis, per Jones, as he was notified after failing a random drug test. The linebacker knew he hadn't taken any banned substances, and he was able to get his doctor's permission to play.
The linebacker talks about "ball jokes" being funny, and that's not a reference to football. The message he got from Kim Jones was that he could change lives simply by being who he was, and Singleton has proceeded to do that and then some.
