Denver Broncos captain Alex Singleton says the NFL won’t fine him for the now-viral “one-ball” celebration he used in his first game back from testicular cancer. The league, he said, understands the gesture is about awareness of his diagnosis and surgery, not taunting.
Singleton broke up a late third-down pass to Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz during the Broncos’ 27-26 overtime win on Sunday Night Football, part of Denver’s ninth straight victory to move to 10-2.
As he jogged off the field, cameras caught Singleton and teammates holding up a single finger in a way that quickly set off debate on social media. Many fans thought Singleton would be fined for the gesture.
How the ‘One-Ball’ Celebration Started
On the DNVR Broncos podcast, Singleton explained that the gesture started as a dark-humor idea with his brother while he was quietly preparing for surgery.
He said his brother is the one who always jumps into the backyard pool after turnovers, so they kicked around the idea of a “one” celebration once Singleton was back on the field — a nod to the fact he’d be playing with one testicle after his orchiectomy.
Most players flash two fingers after a big play, especially special teamers and kickers like Wil Lutz. Singleton told the hosts he thought it would be funny, and meaningful, to hold up just one instead.
He did it subtly at first. Then on Sunday night, after the breakup on Ertz, teammate Brandon Jones made sure it became a full-team moment. Singleton said he started with a standard incomplete signal, started jogging to the sideline, and Jones yelled, “Let’s do it,” prompting several defenders to join in.
Fans Thought a Fine Was Coming
The internet, at first, had no idea what it meant.
Singleton said he spent the weekend getting TikToks sent to him from friends, including one fan who warned, “You’re going to get fined for some sexual gesture.” Later, another TikTok creator posted a video connecting the dots to his public cancer diagnosis and calling it “the coolest thing ever.”
By then, the Broncos’ PR staff and the league office had already taken a look.
Singleton said that when he met with team PR and NFL officials on Monday — the same day the league helped push out his statement on testicular cancer — they told him they’d seen the celebration and understood the context. Instead of a fine, it was treated as part of his awareness campaign.
‘We’re Just Saving Lives, One Big Play at a Time’
Singleton’s diagnosis came after a routine NFL drug test flagged unusually high hCG levels. That led to more testing, an ultrasound, and surgery on November 7 to remove the cancerous testicle.
He missed just one game before returning less than three weeks later against Washington.
On the podcast, Singleton said the league’s stance is simple: he’s bringing awareness to a cause, not mocking anyone. He encouraged more players to join in so long as they understand the meaning.
“The more people that do it, just the more awareness is spread and the more people that go get early detected,” he said. “We’re just saving lives, celebrating one big play at a time.”
For a Broncos team pushing for the AFC’s top seed and riding a defense-first identity, the celebration fits. It’s a little bit of levity, a lot of honesty, and now an NFL-approved symbol of what Singleton went through just to be back on the field.
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