Denver Broncos Sign Quarterback Ben DiNucci Following Bo Nix Injury
Football has a funny way of writing scripts that even the best Hollywood writers wouldn’t dare pitch. One minute, you’re sitting in a climate-controlled studio, wearing a suit, and breaking down game tape for CBS Sports. The next minute? You’re trading the microphone for a helmet and hopping on a flight to Denver. That is exactly the whirlwind weekend Ben DiNucci just experienced.
From the Broadcast Booth to the Locker Room
Saturday night was business as usual for DiNucci. He was on air, analyzing the Denver Broncos’ thrilling overtime victory against the Buffalo Bills. He watched, like the rest of us, as Bo Nix led his team to a gritty win, only to suffer a heartbreaking, season-ending ankle injury on one of the final plays. It was the kind of moment that sucks the air out of a stadium—a win that feels heavy.
Fast forward less than 24 hours. Adam Schefter drops the bomb: The Broncos are signing DiNucci to their practice squad.
You can’t make this stuff up. DiNucci went from talking about the Broncos’ quarterback crisis to being part of the solution in the blink of an eye. The 29-year-old journeyman, who last saw regular-season NFL action with the Dallas Cowboys back in 2020, is suddenly one heartbeat away from the field in the AFC Championship Game.
DiNucci Reacts With Humor and Heart
If there’s one thing DiNucci has in spades, it’s self-awareness. He knows the situation is wild. He knows he’s not the first name people expected to hear. But he also knows he’s ready.
Taking to social media with the kind of energy you love to see, DiNucci posted: “It has come to my attention that a team may be in need of my services… Good thing my schedule is open this week. Broncos country… Let’s go get a Super Bowl?”
That’s the spirit. It’s a mix of “put me in, coach” and “can you believe this is happening?” It adds a layer of much-needed levity to a tense situation in Denver. The fanbase is still reeling from losing Nix, the guy who gave them hope. Having a guy like DiNucci walk in with a smile and a positive attitude might be exactly the vibe check the locker room needs.
Why DiNucci Makes Sense For Denver
Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look at the football logic here. Why DiNucci? Why now?
It’s not just because he was available. There’s history here. DiNucci spent time on the Broncos’ practice squad in 2023. He knows Sean Payton’s system. He knows the terminology. He knows where the cafeteria is. In a week where every second of preparation counts before facing the New England Patriots, familiarity is currency. You don’t have time to teach a new guy the entire playbook. You need someone who can step in, read the wristband, and not look like a deer in headlights.
Jarrett Stidham is the starter now. That’s the reality. Stidham has the arm and the experience in the building to lead this team. But the NFL is a game of attrition. If Stidham’s shoelace snaps or he gets the wind knocked out of him, Denver needs a backup plan that isn’t just “hope and pray.”
DiNucci provides a safety net. He’s been around the block—Buffalo, New Orleans, Atlanta, and even a stint in the XFL with the Seattle Sea Dragons. He’s a grinder. He’s seen the game from every angle, including the analyst’s chair. That perspective matters.
The Emotional Rollercoaster For Broncos Country
Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: this hurts for Denver fans. Nix was having a moment. Losing him right before the AFC Championship is a gut punch. But sports are also about resilience. The “Next Man Up” mentality is a cliché because it’s true. The team has to rally. The defense, which played out of its mind to stifle Josh Allen and the Bills, has to lock in even tighter. And the quarterback room, now featuring Stidham, Sam Ehlinger, and DiNucci, has to band together to steer the ship.
Can DiNucci Help Denver Defy the Odds?
The Broncos are heading into the AFC Championship Game with a backup quarterback and a guy who was wearing a headset and makeup yesterday. The betting markets might be panicking, and the pundits might be writing Denver’s obituary, but the games aren’t played on paper.
Maybe DiNucci never sees the field. Maybe he holds a clipboard and signals in plays, earning a ring from the sideline. Or maybe, just maybe, the script gets even crazier.
Whatever happens, DiNucci has already secured his spot in Broncos lore as the guy who answered the call when the phone rang on a Sunday afternoon. He cleared his schedule. He packed his bag. He’s ready to help Denver chase a Lombardi Trophy.
