Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, and the honor arrived almost exactly one year after a testicular cancer diagnosis that changed his life. The NFL announced the award on Thursday, November 5, 2026. In October, across Weeks 4 to 8, Singleton recorded 68 total tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and two sacks. He also leads the NFL with 101 total tackles through eight games this season. His teammates added another honor on November 8, 2026, when they voted him the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.
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Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Player | Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos inside linebacker, age 32 |
| Award | AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October |
| Announced | Thursday, November 5, 2026 |
| October stats | 68 total tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks |
| Best October game | 19 tackles against the Arizona Cardinals |
| Season total | 101 total tackles through eight games, most in the NFL |
| Diagnosis | Testicular cancer, diagnosed around November 3, 2025 |
| Surgery | November 7, 2025, cancer had not spread |
| Treatment | No chemotherapy or radiation needed |
| Return | Practice 19 days after surgery, played again 23 days after surgery |
| Games missed | Only one game |
| Team honor | Ed Block Courage Award, voted by teammates, reported November 8, 2026 |
| Team record | Broncos are 6-2 |
| Next game | At Carolina Panthers on Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. ET |
| Role | Team captain and the defense green dot |
| College | Former Montana State standout with a CFL background |
Alex Singleton: A Month That Showed His Value
October was a month when Alex Singleton seemed to be everywhere on the field for Denver. He finished the month with 68 total tackles in five weeks of play. He also made five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and two sacks, showing that he could pressure the passer as well as stop the run.
His best game in that stretch came against the Arizona Cardinals, when he made 19 tackles in a single game. That earned him Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Through eight games this season, Singleton leads the NFL with 101 total tackles, which is the core job of an inside linebacker, and he has done it better than any other player in the league so far this season.
The timing of the award makes it even more meaningful. It came almost exactly one year after his cancer diagnosis. Around the league, other teams were dealing with their own injury news in Week 9, including the 49ers and Raiders injury picture. In Denver, the Broncos had a healthy leader in the middle of their defense, and he was playing the best football of his life.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
The story behind this award starts in late October 2025, when a routine NFL drug test flagged elevated levels of the hormone hCG. That result led to further tests, and those tests confirmed testicular cancer. Singleton was diagnosed around November 3, 2025. The news arrived in the middle of a football season, when most players are focused only on the next game and the next practice.
For Singleton, the timing was especially hard. He had married his wife Sam in June 2025, only a few months earlier, and he was a team captain and a central part of the Broncos defense. A cancer diagnosis at that moment could have ended his season.
Days after the diagnosis, he played against the Las Vegas Raiders, recording nine tackles in Denver’s 10-7 win. It was a quiet act of courage, and it came before most people outside the team knew what he was facing.
This article is general information only, and anyone worried about their health should talk to their own doctor.
Surgery, Recovery, and a Fast Return
Singleton had surgery on November 7, 2025, only a few days after he played against the Raiders. The news from that surgery was good. The cancer had not spread. He needed no chemotherapy or radiation. That result gave him a clear path forward, and it meant his recovery could focus on healing from the operation itself.
Even so, the speed of his return was remarkable. He missed only one game. He returned to practice 19 days after surgery. He played again 23 days after the operation.
He remains cancer-free, with routine checkups. That is the most important fact in this whole story. The award, the tackles, and the honors all matter, but they matter because he is healthy.
His recovery also showed the value of early detection. The elevated hCG level was found through a routine test, and that finding led to more tests and a diagnosis. That is one reason Singleton now speaks openly about testicular cancer awareness.
The Ed Block Courage Award and His Role in Denver
On November 8, 2026, another honor followed. His Broncos teammates voted him the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award. The award is a team honor for courage and sportsmanship, voted on by teammates. That detail matters. It is chosen by the men who practice with him and play beside him every day.
When teammates vote for a player in this way, they are saying something simple and direct. They respect him, they trust him, and they saw how he handled what he went through.
Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has called him one of the best linebackers in football and the team’s green dot on defense. The green dot is the player who wears the helmet with the radio receiver and relays the play calls from the coaches to the rest of the defense. Joseph’s words show how much the Broncos rely on Singleton, not only as a tackler but as a leader on the field.
He is also a team captain, a role that reflects his standing in the locker room. Around the NFL, teams were making big quarterback decisions in the same week, including the Eagles turning to Joe Milton at quarterback for their Week 9 game against the Giants. In Denver, the Broncos did not need a change at the heart of their defense. They had Singleton, healthy and playing at a high level, calling the plays and making the tackles.
Life Beyond Football and Raising Awareness
Singleton is a former Montana State standout with a CFL background. His path to the NFL was not the usual one. He played in Canada before he found a steady place in the NFL, and he had to earn his spot, year after year, and prove that he belonged.
He supports the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, and he has used his platform to raise awareness in a visible way. He wore custom purple cleats for the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative, again on October 15, 2026, to raise testicular cancer awareness. The cleats were a simple and personal gesture that put the cause on the field, where fans could see it.
That kind of advocacy matters because testicular cancer is a topic that many men find hard to talk about. Singleton has talked about it openly, and he has shown that a diagnosis does not have to define a person or end a career.
The Broncos are 6-2, and they visited the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, November 8, at 1 p.m. ET. Singleton’s play has been a big reason for that record, which also fits into a wider weekend of NFL action, including the Bengals win over the Falcons in Madrid on November 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Alex Singleton named AFC Defensive Player of the Month?
He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October because of his strong play across Weeks 4 to 8: 68 total tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and two sacks, plus a 19-tackle game against the Arizona Cardinals. Through eight games, he leads the NFL with 101 total tackles.
When was Alex Singleton diagnosed with testicular cancer?
He was diagnosed around November 3, 2025, after a routine NFL drug test in late October 2025 flagged elevated levels of the hormone hCG. Further tests confirmed testicular cancer. He played against the Las Vegas Raiders days after the diagnosis, recording nine tackles in a 10-7 win, then had surgery on November 7, 2025.
How long was Alex Singleton out after surgery?
He missed only one game. The cancer had not spread, and he needed no chemotherapy or radiation. He returned to practice 19 days after surgery, played again 23 days after the operation, and remains cancer-free with routine checkups.
What is the Ed Block Courage Award?
The Ed Block Courage Award is a team honor for courage and sportsmanship, voted on by teammates. Singleton’s Broncos teammates voted him the recipient, and the honor was reported on November 8, 2026. It reflects the respect he has earned in the locker room for his play and for the way he handled his diagnosis and recovery.
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Final Thoughts
Alex Singleton’s story is about more than an award. It is about a player who faced a cancer diagnosis in the middle of a season, had surgery, came back fast, and then played the best football of his career one year later. The AFC Defensive Player of the Month honor for October is a fair reward for 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, five quarterback hits, two sacks, and a 19-tackle game that stood out even by his high standards.
The Ed Block Courage Award adds another layer. It came from his teammates, the people who know him best, and it honors the courage it took to face cancer and return to the field. His role as team captain and green dot shows that the Broncos trust him to lead their defense, and his work with the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation shows that he wants his story to help others.
