The NFL Playoffs delivered another jaw-dropping twist. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix suffered a broken ankle during Denver’s overtime win over the Bills in the AFC Divisional Round—yet remarkably stayed on the field for two more plays to finish the game-winning drive without showing obvious pain.

The shock came later. Head coach Sean Payton revealed Nix would need surgery, ruling him out of the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots and pushing Jarrett Stidham into the starting role.

With urgency mounting, Denver quickly added depth, signing former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci as an emergency third-string QB behind Stidham and Sam Ehlinger.

“Broncos are signing veteran QB Ben DiNucci,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
“He already knows Sean Payton’s system,” noted DNVR’s Zac Stevens.

As expected, social media wasted no time mocking Dallas, highlighting that DiNucci reached a championship game before the Cowboys did—fueling long-running jokes about the franchise.g.

DiNucci’s Unusual NFL Journey

A seventh-round pick in 2020, DiNucci started one game as a rookie for the Cowboys before bouncing out of the league. He revived his career in the XFL in 2023, leading the league in passing yards, then returned to the NFL with stints in Denver, New Orleans, and Buffalo. After being cut by the Falcons in 2025, he even transitioned briefly into broadcasting—before this unexpected playoff call.

Now, DiNucci is back in uniform, one injury away from the spotlight, as the Broncos chase a Super Bowl berth amid pure postseason chaos.