Star linebacker Alex Singleton hasn’t forgotten where he came from after a stellar 2020 NFL season.
Singleton started 11 games for Philadelphia and made 120 tackles, 75 solo, two sacks, two fumble recoveries, one pass knockdown and one interception, which was returned for the game-clinching touchdown during the Eagles first win of the season in Week 4.
That’s the type of production CFL followers were used to seeing out of Singleton while with the Calgary Stampeders. He produced 123 tackles in his final two years in Canada, earned the league’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 2017, and received CFL all-star recognition twice.
“I love the CFL. It’s a faster game, there’s a 20-second play clock, you’re on and off the field. It’s a three-down game, so if you’re on special teams, you’re out there every 40 seconds if your team gets stopped,” Singleton said on The Wooderboys Podcast.
“It’s kind of what the NFL is going to. That fast sideline-to-sideline, they have five receivers, it’s fun, I loved it. The fans were amazing where I was in Calgary.”
The 27-year-old Singleton still keeps in touch with former teammates, players, coaches, team staff, friends, and supporters from north of the border. He’s stayed up to date with the latest happenings around the CFL, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I hope they play in 2021. Not playing in 2020 killed them, the money is obviously way different that’s coming into that league,” Singleton said.
All three years Singleton was with the Stamps, Calgary made it to the Grey Cup. However, the first two times resulted in upset defeats, the Redblacks in 2016 in Toronto and the Argos in 2017 in Ottawa. The third time was the charm as the Stampeders claimed Earl Grey’s mug in 2018.
“We played Sunday, the parade was Tuesday, I actually got to take the trophy home Monday night — a lot of beers. It’s the oldest trophy in North America, it’s got teams from 1904 on it,” Singleton said.
“We got to walk around the city, you go into a bar and go to the tap and fill it up, pass it around the bar — it’s a really good time.”
Every CFL enthusiast wants to see the big silver trophy handed out again in 2021 after not being awarded for the first time since 1919 last year.
