The Lead
When inside linebacker Alex Singleton received the news that he was the Broncos' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award nominee, he fought to hold back tears.
Surrounded by family members and Special Olympics athletes and staff, the sixth-year player received the news from his older sister, Ashley, during a surprise ceremony. A Special Olympics athlete for more than 20 years, Ashley inspired Singleton to become an advocate for the organization at a young age, and he now serves as a local and national ambassador.
Singleton recently joined NFL Network’s “The Insiders” show to discuss his nomination, as well as how his relationship with his sister jump-started his lifelong commitment to involvement with Special Olympics.
"She's kind of inspired my entire life," Singleton said of Ashley on Tuesday's show. "Seeing her grow up, to me [she] was just always my big sister. I never — until I was seven [or] eight years old — realized that not every person grows up with a sibling with a disability, much less Down syndrome. Every day just seeing the struggles she went through and how she's used those now as she's gotten older to just become a better person and such a strong person — that's what has been so awesome. Her being a Special Olympics athlete, to just be able to see her continue to grow, and using Special Olympics in sports, [it] has inspired me on the field and off the field even more. And I'm just so thankful for having her in my life."
Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-style sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, and Singleton uses his platform to amplify the organization's work. Throughout his career, he has provided his support through a variety of avenues, including presenting at school-wide "inclusion assemblies" and raising money through his Tackling Inclusion initiative. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Singleton also co-hosted virtual workouts with Ashley.
The Broncos team captain — who was sidelined with an ACL tear following Denver's Week 3 matchup with Tampa Bay — said that while the honor is especially meaningful given his personal ties to the organization, his nomination is a testament to the work that so many others put in to continue to provide these meaningful opportunities for countless individuals.
"It means so much," Singleton said. "... To have the platform I have, to have that stage to be nominated for an award like this, there's just so many other people that do so much for that community that it's just really cool for me to be recognized. But it's really a recognition to every single one of those people and what they do in that community to change people's lives."
Singleton is currently eligible to win a donation for Special Olympics as part of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award's Charity Challenge. To vote for Singleton, click here — or use the copy "#WPMOYChallenge + Alex Singleton" or "#WPMOYChallenge + @alexsingleton49" on "X" (formerly Twitter).
