Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Ben DiNucci has locked up his spot with an NFL squad for next season.
PITTSBURGH — Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Ben DiNucci is off to a hot start this offseason, having already locked up his spot with an NFL team for next season before this one is officially over.
After his Denver Broncos fell short of a playoff spot, DiNucci, a Western Pennsylvania native who played at Pitt for three seasons, announced on Twitter that he had re-signed with the Broncos for another season. Financial terms have not yet been disclosed.
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In three preseason appearances last summer, DiNucci completed 21 of 31 passes for 187 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and added five rushes for 23 yards for good measure.
He did not appear in a game for the Broncos and spent the 2023 season on the practice squad. But DiNucci has some starting experience from his time with the Dallas Cowboys and could compete for playing time with Denver expected to move on from starter Russell Wilson.
DiNucci’s 12 games at Pitt came with six starts. For his Panthers career, he completed 91 of 167 passes (54.5%) for 1,107 yards, six touchdowns and seven interceptions.
After transferring to James Madison, he became a star for the Dukes. He was serviceable in 2018 before really experiencing a breakout year in 2019. he completed 71% of his 378 attempts for 3,441 yards, 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions while also rushing for 569 yards and seven more scores on the way to AFCA first-team All-American and CAA Player of the Year honors.
After leading the Dukes to the FCS National Championship Game, DiNucci was drafted in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, where he made one spot start before flaming out.
DiNucci has revitalized his career in the XFL with Seatle. This season, he led the league in passing with 2,671 yards, completed 64% of his passes and threw for 20 touchdowns, the second-best mark in the league.
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