ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In a year of defensive dominance for Denver, captain and inside linebacker Alex Singleton had a front-row seat.
The sixth-year player suffered an ACL tear during Denver's Week 3 win over Tampa Bay, and after playing through the injury for the final 49 snaps of the victory, he was sidelined for the remainder of the 2024 season.
"Personally, it's been the hardest year of my life," Singleton said Monday. "Just as a leader and a guy in the locker room, it was really enjoyable to see the guys step up [and] obviously in my room, play the way they did. The defense — and the team as a whole — it was special. I know it's a good year to build upon."
As Denver now looks ahead to next season, Singleton said he is on track to play a role in that building process. Noting that his recovery is "coming along really well," Singleton said he is "exactly where I should be to be able to be 100 percent for next season."
And while the team captain would have liked to play a role in the Broncos' on-field success this year, he said spending a year on the sideline provided him with a new perspective on the game that he plans to carry with him as he prepares to return to action next year.
"For so long, I was chasing where I wanted to go next," Singleton said. "It took a long time to get to where I'm at. It was kind of a year where I got to reflect on that and just kind of sit back and be like, 'Woah, this is how it happened. This is how I got here.'"
Singleton had a lot to reflect on, as he has been a huge part of Denver's defensive success since his arrival in 2022. He led Denver in tackles in both 2022 and 2023, and he also averaged more than 10 tackles per game to start the 2024 season before his injury.
Singleton, though, noted the pride he had in his unit for performing the way they did throughout the season in his absence. And while he acknowledged the mental challenge of not being able to take the field with his teammates, he also noted that the experience made him both a better teammate and player — and taught him more about how he can continue to contribute moving forward.
"I've gotten to look at our defense, look at how I see it, how other guys see it, why they see it that way and just kind of evaluate that process," Singleton said.
Noting that he has "dedicated 24 hours [a day] to being the best I can," Singleton said he is eager to get back on the field when his recovery is complete. And when that time comes, he plans to make an impact.
"I plan on being a better player, a faster player, a stronger player [and a] smarter player," Singleton said. "And that's what a year off has given me. It'll be exciting to show that. It's a long way away ... but I'm excited about that."
