Last season for the Denver Broncos was a story of steady improvement, even coming close to reaching the Super Bowl. A big part of that success was the efficient defense led by Sean Payton, which, according to Alex Singleton, will aim to become one of the best in franchise history next campaign.
“There’s a ton of little things that we have to clean up, that if we can play how we should play, I mean we want to be the best Broncos defense in history,“ he said during an appearance on the DNVR Broncos podcast.
“This organization has nothing but history in defense. So, to be able to come in day one, it’s our fourth year with (defensive coordinator) V.J. (Vance Joseph) to kind of, let’s get all the wrinkles figured out, which we’re doing right now. That’s what these next few weeks are all about. And I think if we just do the little things better, we will get those turnovers.“
Singleton’s resilience
Alex Singleton’s 2025 campaign with the Denver Broncos was nothing short of an absolute masterclass in resilience. After successfully grinding his way back from a 2024 ACL tear, the veteran linebacker faced an even bigger battle when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in early November.
Alex Singleton #49 of the Denver Broncos.
In a mind-blowing display of mental toughness, Singleton chose to play through the immediate aftermath of the news, suiting up to log nine tackles in a Week 10 win over the Raiders before undergoing surgery the very next morning. His recovery was just as incredible: he missed only a single game, returning to action just 23 days post-operation to help anchor Denver’s defense on a magical run all the way to the AFC Championship Game.
Singleton finished the 2025 season with 16 starts, 135 total tackles (including 85 solo stops), a sack, and a Pro Bowl alternate nod. Now completely cancer-free with clean scans, he has turned his whirlwind diagnosis into a platform, openly using his story to champion early screening and preventative health.
Sean Payton’s defense wants to make a statement in Denver
Heading into the next NFL season, Sean Payton is aiming to establish the Denver Broncos as the undisputed premier defense in the league. Last season, Vance Joseph’s defensive unit finished third in modern points allowed (18.3 PPG), second in total yards allowed per game (274.0), and terrorized quarterbacks by leading the league with an incredible 68 team sacks.
To reach an even higher ceiling, Payton will rely heavily on a star-studded defensive spine across all three levels. While Alex Singleton anchors the middle of the field coming off his massive 135-tackle season, the pass rush will be spearheaded by edge rusher Nik Bonitto, who exploded for a career-high 14.0 sacks in 2025.
Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos
Up front, DJ Jones will continue to shoulder the dirty work as the primary run-stuffer to free up the linebackers, while the secondary remains locked down by elite shutdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Bolstering that backend is hard-hitting safety Talanoa Hufanga, who had a stellar debut year in Denver racking up 106 tackles and 11 pass deflections to earn Second-Team All-Pro honors.
