Former Broncos QB Ben DiNucci Slams Bo Nix's Performance in Deleted Post
DiNucci calls Broncos' offense 'disinterested' and 'checked out,' joining other analysts in criticizing the quarterback.
Former Broncos quarterback Ben DiNucci recently voiced strong criticism of current Broncos quarterback Bo Nix's performance in a now-deleted post on X, formerly Twitter. DiNucci described Nix as "disinterested, checked out, and like there are 500 places he would rather be than on a football field every week." He added, "I would rather watch paint dry right now than their offense play football."
DiNucci, who was on the Broncos' practice squad last season, later retracted his harsh words, stating he was doing a "disservice to Bo and guys in that locker room who were my teammates." However, his initial assessment echoed sentiments from other football analysts.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, a 17-year NFL veteran and analyst for Prime Video, also criticized Nix's play. "Bo Nix is not playing competitively," Fitzpatrick said. "It’s almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he’s playing football right now."
These comments come after the Broncos' offensive struggles, which led head coach Sean Payton to remove play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Despite this change, Nix's statistics through six starts remain a point of concern. He has thrown for 1,049 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. His completion percentage (60.3%), yards per attempt (5.6), and passer rating (79.4) rank among the lower tier of NFL quarterbacks, with his passer rating placing him 26th out of 31.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky shared similar observations on "First Take," suggesting Nix appears hesitant to take risks. "Right now he looks like a quarterback who doesn’t want the football," Orlovsky stated. "He just looks like a player that doesn’t want the football ’cause he doesn’t want the fingers pointing at him when it goes bad."
Nix himself has acknowledged the team's offensive difficulties. "I don’t understand why we can’t really push the ball vertically right now, but defenses are just sitting back there," he told reporters. "I don’t know where the disconnect is right now, to be honest with you. We’re for some reason struggling to find those explosive plays."
The Denver Broncos currently hold a 4-2 record and are second in the AFC West, but the ongoing critique of their offense and quarterback performance highlights a key area for improvement as the season progresses.