The Denver Broncos just wrapped up their first rookie minicamp since Sean Payton took over as the team’s head coach. But it wasn’t just rookies on hand for the offseason team activities that ran from May 12-14.
Just like every other team, the Broncos also invited several other players on a tryout basis, seeing if any of the athletes could make a strong enough impression to earn a spot on the 90-man roster. That included former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci, who most recently spent the XFL season as the starting QB of the Seattle Sea Dragons.
DiNucci actually signed a contract with the Broncos, making him one of four QBs on the roster, joining Russell Wilson, Jarrett Stidham, and Jarrett Guarantano. But it didn’t take long for coach Payton to make DiNucci feel like he was part of the team, giving him a taste of his sense of humor.
After DiNucci reportedly threw a pick-6 during practice, Payton channeled his inner comedian and remarked, “There’s a greeting job at Walmart.”
This may sound quite harsh, but it was clearly an attempt to not only motivate the 26-year-old to be better while also providing a very real reminder that there isn’t a large gap between being on the fringe of an NFL roster and being back on the street, searching for work.
Who knows how DiNucci responded to coach Payton doing his best Kevin James impression, but many others in the NFL community can’t help but laugh at the comedic remark. Hopefully DiNucci took the criticism in stride.
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