Alex Palczewski

Alex Andrzej Palczewski ( ; born August 3, 1999), nicknamed "Palcho", where he was named a college football All-American for the 2022 season. He was signed by the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2023.

Early life Palczewski was born in Mount Prospect, Illinois to Andrzej and Bozena Palczewski, both immigrants from communist Poland who moved to the United States in the mid-1980s. His father worked as a carpenter and his mother worked as a nurse. In his junior year at Prospect, Palczewski received his first scholarship offer made by the Virginia Military Institute. Rated a three-star athlete, Palczewski received interest from North Carolina, North Carolina State, Minnesota, Michigan State and Indiana. He received offers from Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Illinois. Sports writers suggested Palczewski's recruitment potential might have been negatively effected by his absence from his junior season due to a neck injury including a fractured vertebrae.

College career

Choosing loyalty to his home state, Palczewski committed to Illinois.

On February 21, 2023, Palczewski was drafted 68th overall by the New Orleans Breakers in the 2023 USFL draft, though he never signed with them.

Palczewski was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent on May 12, 2023. He was placed on injured reserve on August 31, 2023. He was activated on January 6, 2024.

Palczewski made his first start in Week 3 of the 2024 season, taking over for an injured Mike McGlinchey. It was reported on October 7, 2024, that Palczewski had suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

During the 2025 season, Broncos fans started to cheer every time Palczewski was reported as an eligible receiver when lining up as the jumbo set tight end for rushing plays. He primarily played as the backup right tackle until Week 7, when left guards Ben Powers and Matt Peart were on injured reserve and Palczewski started at the position despite never having played it before.

On March 5, 2026, the Broncos signed Palczewski to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension instead of placing an RFA tender on him.

Personal life Palczewski has two brothers. Palczewski named Ivan Drago as his favorite athlete, acknowledging while Drago is fictional, he admired Drago's decision not to express himself through words but through his athletic talent and work ethic.