Game Changer

Growing up in Green Bay, Wis., football started “about as soon as I could walk,” Alec Ingold half-jokes. “Sundays were for church and football. That’s the upbringing and it’s very much part of the culture.” What wasn’t par for the course was his natural prowess at the game. Ingold, now 27, started playing in eighth grade, and by his sophomore year of high school, he was the varsity team’s running back, winning awards and catching the attention of college recruiters.

A scholarship to the University of Wisconsin Madison offered the first glimmer of hope that he could go pro. “I was like, ‘If I can break onto the scene in college, I might have a chance to make it to the NFL,’” Ingold recalls.

It didn’t happen that quickly. After two seasons of steady momentum, he found himself benched in his junior year. For the first time since he began playing, Ingold was humbled by a hard truth: He might need a backup plan. A personal finance major, Ingold was pursuing a software sales position with the global database company Oracle when his luck turned around. The team, newly in need of a fullback, took him off the bench. Ingold didn’t look back. In his senior year, he was the only fullback invited to the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl. “I was right back on track and headed towards the NFL draft and everything that came with it,” he says.

He signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2019, playing an impressive three years until a brutal ACL injury in 2021 ripped him off the field and, eventually, led to his departure from the team.

Once more a free agent, he began talks with a handful of organizations including the Miami Dolphins, a team Ingold says had always been at the top of his list.

“I had wanted to be a Dolphin through the draft process,” he explains. “They ended up drafting a different fullback in my draft class — Chandler Cox — so I was bummed about that until this new opportunity showed up. It’s absolutely where I wanted to be,” he says.

A connection with Dolphins Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith, also a Wisconsin native, and the chance to play for coach Mike McDaniel were the key draws, Ingold says. The fantastic weather was a bonus. In 2022, he signed a two-year contract while still rehabbing his knee, but from day one, that didn’t keep him from showing up. “Even though I couldn’t get on the field, I’d still get there at 6:30 in the morning. I wanted to show that I was a true professional.

“Obviously, I had to go through a lot of treatment before I could play again, and the organization completely supported me. A lot of hard work went into that first season as a Dolphin.”

It paid off. Ingold had a stellar inaugural year, catching 15 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown in 17 games. He was named one of seven team captains for the 2023-2024 season, with the Dolphins finishing at 11-6 and clinching their first playoff since 2016. Earlier in the season, the Dolphins signed him for another three years, offering him a contract extension through 2026, reportedly worth $17 million. He was also selected for the 2023 AFC Pro Bowl.

The organization recognized his value off the field as well, selecting him as their 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award nominee, an award for players who give back to their communities. In a statement, General Manager Chris Grier noted the respect Ingold commands as captain and “the impact Alec has had and continues to have, both on the Dolphins and the South Florida community.” The Dolphins also bestowed Ingold with the 2023 Don Shula Leadership Award, which honors team members who lead by example.

Adopted at birth into a tight-knit family, adoption and childhood development drive his philanthropy. The Ingold Family Foundation supports local youth through educational, financial literacy, mental health and sports initiatives and works closely with ChildNet, a South Florida-based organization that connects foster and adoptive families with kids who need homes.

On May 22, Ingold will appear as the special guest speaker at ChildNet’s 9^th Annual Care For Kids Cocktail Reception. “We want to advocate for those going through the process, whether they’re the parents or the youth in foster care,” explains Ingold. “ChildNet does an amazing job of trying to find every kid a loving home, especially down here in Florida, and I think it’s extremely important work.

“It also promotes conversations about having family members who may not exactly look like you, which is part of my adoption story and something that should be acknowledged for kids going through identity issues.” He continues, “I try to use this platform to help them feel understood and part of a community that cares about them and wants to see them succeed.”

He adds that his experience as an adoptee will likely shape his future family plans with wife Alexa, his high school sweetheart and a medical PA, whom he married in June 2023. “We’re still honeymooning pretty hard,” he admits.

For now, they have their hands full with demanding careers and two dogs while enjoying the advantages of Florida living when they’re off the clock. “It’s such an active lifestyle, whether that’s golf, pickleball, swimming or hanging out with friends. The people here are outstanding and there are so many pockets: Fort Lauderdale, Boca, West Palm, Miami. We’re able to do so much, and there’s always something to get involved in.”

He doesn’t appear to indulge in too much downtime. Ingold authored the 2023 book, “The 7 Crucibles: An Inspirational Game Plan for Overcoming Adversity in Your Life,” in which he recounts the challenges of his own career journey while offering takeaways for everyday readers to apply to their own lives. “It started as me journaling through my ACL recovery and evolved into giving others an insight into the raw emotions that helped me come out of it a better version of myself and understand not just what I do, but why I do it.”

His podcast, “Forged Ingold,” is an extension of that openness. “At first, the podcast was a breakdown of the book, chapter by chapter,” he says. “Then it evolved into recaps of a week-by-week season, the grind that happens Monday through Saturday. Everyone gets to see Sunday, but they don’t get to hear the other stories. It also transitioned into me interviewing other players about their ‘whys’ as well as business and community leaders in hopes of inspiring and empowering others to make a difference.”

Ahead of training for the 2024-2025 season, Ingold reflects on his own growth goals both for the Dolphins and himself as a captain.

“Individually, I’m always striving to be a better teammate, a better communicator, a better leader. As a team, I think it’s about coming together to set our standard and towards the end of the season, having everything click as the playoffs come around. That’s what I’m going to be working on from today through next February.

“We want everyone to feel like the next play could be the best play of the season and keep fans on the edge of their seats. Whether it’s the first quarter or the fourth, we’ll want them to know something special is about to happen.”