NFL declined Broncos’ request to let assistant coaches suit up and play QB

Posted by Michael David Smith on November 29, 2020, 7:37 AM EST
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The Broncos were desperate enough for a quarterback that they asked the NFL to allow assistant coaches to play today against the Saints. But the league said no.

Mike Klis of 9 News in Denver reports that the Broncos asked if they could have one of their offensive quality control coaches, Justin Rascati or Rob Calabrese, play quarterback today. But the league would not allow it.

This has happened before. In 2009, the Eagles were short on quarterbacks in training camp and asked if they could have one of their coaching interns, Matt Nagy, play quarterback in a preseason game. Nagy, now the Bears’ head coach, actually practiced with the Eagles for one day before the NFL said that moving him from the coaching staff to the roster would constitute a violation of the league’s limits on roster sizes.

Rascati quarterbacked James Madison to the FCS national championship in 2004. Calabrese was a part-time quarterback at UCF from 2008 to 2012 and threw for 1,276 yards in his college career.

With those options out, the Broncos are going with practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback today.

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28 responses to “NFL declined Broncos’ request to let assistant coaches suit up and play QB”

  3. They wanted to ensure their first ever game without a viable QB on either squad.

  5. Thanks again, NFL. You postponed the Denver/NE game because Cam couldn’t play, but no dice for Denver when ALL of their qbs are out.

  6. I’m still boggled by the fact that nobody told their QBs to wear masks. You have all of them together in the same room and none of them had the sense to realize that could be a problem. Something tells me the collective Wonderlic score of those guys is under 30.

  7. Back in the early 2000s, didn’t Oakland want to activate then QBs coach Jim Harbaugh to the roster? Either the Raiders changed their mind or the NFL said “No”, I think.

  8. NFL screws the broncos again. If this has been the patriots, ravens, chiefs, steelers, etc then the game would have been suspended without any doubt. But nope. Now the broncos get to go out and embarrass themselves so the league can make another dollar. If I were the broncos I would just not show up. Forfeit.

  10. That assistant is going to go to his grave believing he would’ve been the next Tom Brady, if only the NFL would’ve given him a chance.

  11. This is absolute garbage. This is inconsistency and hypocrisy. If the Broncos had a better record, or an owner with power, this game would be pushed back the ONE DAY required to get the QB’s on the field. This is the league making an example of Denver, and invalidates the entire season. Whatever seed the Saints end up with, it won’t have been completely, honestly earned by handing them this win in this farce of a game. Roger Goodell should know better. He has just destroyed the credibility of this entire season. Hope he’s happy.

  13. This season is a total joke. Broncos are getting completely screwed. The other 2 QBs have tested negative. I thought that was the standard? Oh wait the nfl has no standard and just makes things up as they go.

  14. They can’t just forfeit either without repercussions. The way the agreement reads, a forfeit would cause the players from both teams to not get paid. That would no doubt cause a huge uproar.

  15. Broncos should refuse to play the game since it is absolutely absurd that they are on as scheduled with no QB, and the Ravens have been postponed multiple times so they can field a full team.

  17. This is insane. I get that they were dumb and didn’t everything they should, but for a league supposedly concerned about player safety, don’t you think there’s a significant injury risk for these random dudes to go under center and face a pass rush?

  18. So, the Broncos refuse to follow simple safety protocols, get burned, and some of you think the Nfl screwed them? No. They screwed themselves and should have to pay the price.

  19. There are QB’s available. Maybe Elway is looking for an excuse for a terrible season. Trying to shift attention away from the team’s failures. Distract. Distract. Distract.

  24. conormacleod says:
    November 29, 2020 at 10:38 am
    So, the Broncos refuse to follow simple safety protocols, get burned, and some of you think the Nfl screwed them? No. They screwed themselves and should have to pay the price.

    ———————-

    That is a very narrow view. Do you think the Ravens followed all protocols? The Pats? All have had games moved. Fine the Broncos and take away draft picks but also do the same to the Ravens.

    The reason that the Broncos game wasn’t moved is because they are a nonplayoff team and the league figures the Saints would’ve won anyway so why cause problems by moving it?

    I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ravens game get’s moved a 3rd time but if they were a nonplayoff team you can bet they would’ve played on Thursday.

  27. Meanwhile Kaepernick’s phone remained silence. Teams are willing to suffer football headache rather than political migraine Kaepernick is likely going to bring to them.

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