Ben DiNucci wears many hats. One of them now has a Buffalo Bills logo.
Buffalo signed the 27-year-old quarterback, a 2020 Dallas Cowboys seventh-round draft pick, according to his agency, JL Sports.
DiNucci, 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds, spent two seasons with the Cowboys (2000-2021), before being selected in the 2023 XFL Draft and starting 10 games for the Seattle Sea Dragons. He was on the Denver Broncos practice squad in 2023.
The Bills third-string quarterback Shane Beuchele suffered a neck injury in their 33-6 preseason loss to the Chicago Bears. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said Beuchele, who completed 6 of 10 passes for 53 yards and an interception, will miss an "extended period of time."
Here's what to know about DiNucci, who has a fan-favorite last name − he's been nicknamed "Gucci" DiNucci − and his own clothing brand.
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Ben DiNucci co-owners a streetwear and hat company
DiNucci was a third-string quarterback on the Cowboys but he was a first-rate influencer on the team. He co-owns clothing and hat company True Brvnd.
It began when True Brvnd owner Sang Truong sent Instagram messages to Cowboys players to promote his company. True Brvnd is based in Dallas. DiNucci replied back and the two forged a business relationship, with Truong asking DiNucci to be a co-owner to help the brand reach other pro athletes. They came up with hats to represent Dallas sports teams, history and culture. The signature hat had an embroidered Dallas upside down. They sent free hats to every pro athlete in the city. DiNucci wore the hats to make sure they appeared on HBO's "Hard Knocks" featuring the Cowboys. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is regularly seen wearing True Brvnd hats at press conferences and social media. Other athletes began posting photos of themselves in True Brvnd gear.
True Brvnd has collaborations with major Dallas sports teams along with Whataburger and Prescott and musical artists Post Malone, Morgan Whalen.
Ben DiNucci has started in the NFL and XFL
DiNucci has starting experience in the NFL. With Andy Dalton out with a concussion, As a rookie, DiNucci was thrown into the fire and started Sunday Night Football in Week 8 for the Cowboys in 2020. He completed 21 of 40 passes for 180 yards and was sacked four times with two lost fumbles in the 23-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL.com ranked him the worst of 59 quarterbacks who started a game in 2020.
"In fairness to DiNucci -- a seventh-round pick out of James Madison -- he should never have been put in position to play as a rookie," NFL.com wrote.
DiNucci went 7-3 as a starter in the XFL and led the league in passing yards, completions and attempts in 2023. He threw 20 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. His standout XFL season led to a deal with the Broncos. Denver coach Sean Payton lauded DiNucci last year for his decision-making, accuracy and football I.
Ben DiNucci broke a Pennsylvania high school football record
DiNucci became the first player in Pennsylvania high school football history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season, leading Pine-Richland to the state AAAA championship game. He was the 2014-15 Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania.
Ben DiNucci was Nathan Peterman's understudy and then was overtaken by Kenny Pickett
Sean McDermott once named Nathan Peterman his starting quarterback. It didn't go well. Now, McDermott will coach Peterman's one-time University of Pittsburgh backup.
DiNucci played his first three college seasons with the Panthers, and backed up Peterman as a redshirt freshman. He started as a sophom*ore but lost his job to Kenny Pickett, who went on to start four more seasons at Pittsburgh before being drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
He led James Madison to the FCS title game
With Pickett the future at the University of Pittsburgh, DiNucci transferred to James Madison University, where he went 23-6 and guided the Dukes to the FCS Championship Game. DiNucci finished his career at James Madison in the top five in program history in completions, passing touchdowns and passing yards. He also has rushing ability, running for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns in two years at JMU. DiNucci is the first James Madison alum to start at quarterback in NFL history.
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