Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt QB Ben DiNucci Gets Second Shot at NFL

A former Pitt Panthers quarterback is getting a second chance in the NFL.

Stephen Thompson

Former Pitt QB Ben DiNucci Gets Second Shot at NFL
Former Pitt QB Ben DiNucci Gets Second Shot at NFL /
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PITTSBURGH -- He's a long way from his days as starting quarterback for the Pitt Panthers, but he is still adding to the long list of former Panthers in pro football. 

After a successful 2023 campaign for the Seattle Sea Dragons this spring, former Pitt quarterback Ben DiNucci has signed with the Denver Broncos, according to a report from NFL Insider Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. DiNucci had a strong weekend at Broncos minicamp this weekend. 

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, when 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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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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