The legacy of the Seattle Sea Dragons lives on, as quarterback Ben DiNucci is back in the NFL. With the Denver Broncos losing franchise quarterback Bo Nix to injury, Sean Payton called on his familiar quarterback in case of emergency.
DiNucci was originally a 7th round draft pick in 2020 NFL draft. After two plus seasons with the Cowboys, DiNucci joined the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons leading the XFL in passing yards, while totaling over 3,000 yards (2,966 passing, 321 rushing) and 26 TDs (23 passing, 3 rushing) through eleven games. DiNucci’s XFL success earned him a contract with the Denver Broncos at the conclusion of the XFL season.
DiNucci spent 2023 with Denver on their practice squad, in addition to stints with the Buffalo Bills (2024), New Orleans Saints (2024), and most recently the Atlanta Falcons (2025). The former JMU alum has earned approximately $1.2 million dollars in parts of six NFL seasons, with 350k coming since his time in the XFL.
Since being released by the Falcons, DiNucci has worked with CBS sports as a college football color commentator, while also owning a percentage of True Brvnd, an apparel company. With DiNucci’s financial success in order, the next phase of his career is earning a Super Bowl victory in the Broncos will be relying on Jarrett Stidham to lead them there.
