It looks like former Pitt and Pine-Richland quarterback Ben DiNucci has secured an NFL job.
DiNucci, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, had been battling with Clayton Thorson for the No. 3 quarterback spot behind starter Dak Prescott and backup Andy Dalton.
The Cowboys released Thorson on Wednesday, leaving DiNucci as the final quarterback on the roster to fill the spot as the NFL cut-down day approaches on Saturday.
The Cowboys have been happy with the rookie signal caller, who spent his final two collegiate seasons at James Madison after transferring from Pitt, where he played 10 games and threw for 1,091 yards in 2017. In fact, some in Dallas have compared DiNucci to former starter Tony Romo.
“[Head coach Mike McCarthy] said he’s a baller,” Dallas COO Steven Jones said to Sirius XM Radio. “He’s very athletic. Certainly no one is saying he is, but if you remember, Tony Romo was a college free agent. [DiNucci] has some of those type of tools, instinctive and seems to make plays.”
McCarthy and DiNucci also share Pittsburgh ties. The Greenfield native is in his first season coaching the Cowboys after spending 13 years with the Green Bay Packers and winning one Super Bowl, beating his hometown Steelers in 2011.
I loved DiNucci’s competitive spirit. I thought he lacked arm strength and a was little too inaccurate to my eye. I certainly wish him well and hope he sticks. BUT to even mention him in the same sentence as Romo is a huge leap.
I agree 100%!!! He was fun to watch, but he couldn’t make the throws needed like all NFL caliber QBs can. I would compare him to Tyler Palko. He was amazing in college, but found out a bigger arm is needed to make it in the NFL . Good luck to him though, I hope he lasts 20 years in the league!!! H2P
And yet he wasn’t good enough for us. Go figure!
Is it a coincidence that both he and Kenny Pickett got better once they got away from Shawn Watson? Just wondering.
Thing it goes deeper than Watson; it was failure to develop or recognize talent. The same applied to Voytek. Quick to bring in transfers for a quick fix which got us nowhere. I do thing this OC is very good and he recognizes talent and will develop it.(hopefully).
I think Watson was a disaster. I want to believe In Whipple . I think KP has some of the same shortcomings as DiNucci. I hope they both cash NFL checks for 12 years
You may be right, but DiNucci is a winner and wasn’t given the chance with us.