Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton joked that a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback could end up working at Walmart.
Payton has been leading the rookie minicamp as the Broncos look over some of their newest recruits. The AFC West team drafted just five players in the 2023 NFL draft, including wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., linebacker Drew Sanders, cornerback Riley Moss, safety JL Skinner and center Alex Forsyth.
One other player picked up by the Broncos is quarterback Ben DiNucci. The 26-year-old was the passing leader for XFL team Seattle Sea Dragons last season, and recently got picked up by the Broncos.
DiNucci was drafted by the Cowboys in round seven of the 2020 draft, but was cut in August 2022 before being picked up by the Sea Dragons in the XFL.
Russell Wilson is the number one QB in the Broncos locker room, with Jarrett Stidham and Jarrett Guarantano in reserve. But DiNucci will have aspirations of being the back-up to Wilson for the 2023 season.
Payton’s latest comment about DiNucci shows that the new QB is certainly getting noticed. During the rookie minicamp, an attempted pass from the quarterback was intercepted by new linebacker Sanders, who was drafted last month.
Also in attendance at the minicamp was Broncos CEO Greg Penner, who is also the CEO of world-renowned retailer Walmart. And Payton joked that DiNucci’s interception could result in the QB moving into the world of customer service.
“Unfortunately for Ben DiNucci, it was his first interception and there was more to that interception if you looked at it," Payton told Sports Illustrated. "It was good play by Sanders and it was right in front of [Owner & CEO] Greg Penner. I was telling Greg before practice how this Ben DiNucci was doing well.
“I told Ben, I said: ‘You know, he owns Walmart. If it doesn't work out here, I’m sure there’s a greeting opportunity somewhere at one of his local stores’,” finished Payton, while laughing.
Payton certainly knows what he's looking for when assessing potential quarterback talent. He was a QB in his playing days, despite going undrafted in the 1987 NFL Draft.
The 59-year-old has been coaching at NFL level since working as the quarterback coach with the Philadelphia Eagles in the late 1990s. Payton is well known for spending 13 years across two stints as the New Orleans Saints head coach, until being hired back in February with the Broncos.
Denver had to give up a 2023 draft first-round pick in order to acquire Payton from the Saints. His first regular season game in charge will be at home to the Las Vegas Raiders on September 10.
