Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American professional
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
quarterback
The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...
for the
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL). Nicknamed "the Red Rifle", he played
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
for the
TCU Horned Frogs
The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University. The 18 varsity teams participate in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA Division I and in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football, competi ...
, where he became the school's leader in quarterback wins and won the
2011 Rose Bowl. He was selected by the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
in the second round of the
2011 NFL draft
The 2011 NFL draft was the 76th installment of the annual National Football League draft, NFL draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Rad ...
.
During his first nine seasons with the Bengals, Dalton led the team to five consecutive playoff appearances from 2011 to 2015 and received three
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
selections. In his first season, he and wide receiver
A. J. Green set records for completions and yards by a rookie quarterback/receiver combination. Dalton also set the Bengals franchise records for passing touchdowns, single-season passing yards, and single-season passing touchdowns.
Despite his regular season success, Dalton went winless in the playoffs and was released by the Bengals in 2020 following four consecutive losing seasons. He spent his next three seasons alternating as a starter and backup with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
,
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, and
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
for one year each. Dalton joined the Panthers in 2023.
Early life
Dalton attended
Katy High School in
Katy, Texas
Katy is a city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is in the Greater Katy area, itself forming the western part of the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Homes and businesses may have Katy postal addresses without being in the City of Katy. The city ...
, where he played for the Tigers
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
team. He split time as a junior in 2004 and then started only one full season at quarterback for Katy High as a senior in 2005. That year, he led the Tigers to the state finals, where they lost to
Southlake Carroll, 34–20. As a senior, he threw for 2,877 yards with 42 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. That year, he was named the
Greater Houston Area offensive player of the year by the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. ...
''.
College career

Dalton committed to
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private university, private research university in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison Clark, Addison and Randolph Clark as the AddRan Male & Female College. It i ...
on October 19, 2005.
2006 and 2007 seasons
Dalton was
redshirted
Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the ...
his freshman year, but he traveled with the team to every road game and was listed as the Horned Frogs' third-string quarterback behind senior Jeff Ballard and redshirt freshman Marcus Jackson. Entering the
2007 season, Dalton was in competition with Jackson to be the starting quarterback. Two weeks before the season opener against
Baylor, TCU head coach
Gary Patterson named Dalton the starter. He was named the
2007 Texas Bowl MVP in TCU's 20–13 victory over
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
. Dalton finished his redshirt freshman season with 2,459 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. After going 8–5 as a freshman, he accumulated a record of 34–3 as a starter for the rest of his career at TCU.
2008 season
In the
2008 season, Dalton led TCU to an 11–2 record, finishing second place in the
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference (MW) is a collegiate athletic conference in the Western United States, participating in NCAA Division I. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on Ja ...
and seventh in the national
AP Poll. He was named the
2008 Poinsettia Bowl MVP in the Horned Frogs' 17–16 win over
Boise State
Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It ...
. He finished the 2008 season with 2,242 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
2009 season
In the
2009 season, Dalton led the Horned Frogs to a perfect 12–0 regular season, a Mountain West Conference Championship, a #6 ranking in the AP Poll, and a
BCS berth. The Horned Frogs lost 17–10 in the
Fiesta Bowl to
Boise State
Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho, United States. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It ...
. He finished the 2009 season with 2,756 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
2010 season
On September 4, 2010, Dalton recorded his 30th victory as the Horned Frogs starting quarterback, passing
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian Baugh (March 17, 1914 – December 17, 2008) was an American professional football quarterback who played 16 seasons with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the TCU Horne ...
as TCU's all-time wins leader. Against
Baylor, Dalton completed 21 of 23 pass attempts (a career-best and single-game record 91.3%) for 267 yards and two
touchdown
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Scoring a touchdown grants the team that scored it 6 points. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchd ...
s. His team won a second consecutive Mountain West Conference Championship. On January 1, 2011, Dalton led his team to a 21–19 victory over #4
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
in the
Rose Bowl in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
. His TCU football team finished the season with a perfect 13–0 record and #2 ranking in the AP Poll.
Auburn, the only other team with a perfect record, won the
BCS National Championship
The BCS National Championship Game was a postseason college football bowl game, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), first played in the 1998 college football season as one of four desi ...
that year. Dalton finished the 2010 season with 2,857 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He finished in ninth place on the
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
voting.
Dalton held school career records for wins (42), passing yards (10,314), pass attempts (1,317), completions (812), and completion percentage (61.6) at the time he graduated, but a few years later,
Trevone Boykin surpassed most of Dalton's records. Dalton also held the Mountain West career leader in total offense (11,925 yards) and plays from scrimmage (1,730).
College statistics
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
2011 season
On April 29, 2011, the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
selected Dalton in the second round, as the 35th overall pick, in the
2011 NFL draft
The 2011 NFL draft was the 76th installment of the annual National Football League draft, NFL draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Rad ...
. Out of the twelve quarterbacks that were chosen in the 2011 NFL Draft, he was the fifth selected.

After Dalton was selected by the Bengals, there was much speculation over whether Dalton or veteran
Bruce Gradkowski would start at quarterback.
Carson Palmer, the first overall draft pick in the
2003 NFL draft
The 2003 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League (NFL) teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936 NF ...
, demanded to be
traded or released and was traded later in the season to the
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team based in Oakland, California, from its founding in 1960 to 1981, and again from 1995 to 2019 before Oakland Raiders relocation to Las Vegas, relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan ...
. On June 29, 2011, the Bengals signed Dalton to a four-year, $5.21 million rookie contract with a $2.29 million signing bonus and $4.02 million guaranteed.
On August 8, 2011, before their first pre-season game versus the
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
, Bengals head coach
Marvin Lewis
Marvin Roland Lewis Jr. (born September 23, 1958) is an American professional American football, football coach. He recently served as the assistant head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). Lewis was previously ...
released his first
depth chart per NFL rules but noted that it meant little. The depth chart had Dalton listed as the first-string quarterback, followed by Gradkowski.
Dalton's first NFL regular-season start came on September 11, 2011, on the road against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
. Dalton, in one half of play before leaving the game due to injury, completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts for 81 yards and a touchdown, posting a
passer rating
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leagu ...
of 102.4. The Bengals won the game, 27–17, Dalton's first divisional
AFC North
The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the NFL realign ...
victory as well as first win against the divisional rival Browns. Dalton's second game on was also on the road, against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. Despite a 24–22 loss, he led a comeback, completing 19 of 29 pass attempts for 280 yards and two touchdowns in the second half alone, and achieving a passer rating of 107.0 for the game. During a Week 6 27–17 victory over the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...
, Dalton completed 25 of 32 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. In that game, he had a season-high 78.1 completion percentage and 111.5 passer rating.
On November 3, 2011, Dalton was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October. He led the Bengals to a 4–0 record with 909 passing yards and six touchdowns in the month. During Week 9, Dalton then threw for 217 yards and a season-high three touchdowns with no interceptions against the
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. They play the ...
in a comeback 24–17 victory, earning him
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors. Three weeks later, Dalton passed for 270 yards and a touchdown for a 105.6 passer rating in a comeback 23–20 victory over the Browns, again winning Rookie of the Week. This game featured a 51-yard strike from Dalton to
A. J. Green with only 1:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, setting up the Bengals' game-winning field goal. By the end of the season, Dalton had led the Bengals to a 9–7 record and a berth in the
NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs is the annual single-elimination tournament held to determine the National Football League, league champion. The four-round tournament is held after the league's regular season. Since the 2020 NFL seaso ...
.
On January 7, 2012, the Bengals faced the
T. J. Yates-led
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team plays its home games at N ...
in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. This game marked the first time in NFL playoff history that two rookie quarterbacks started in the same game against each other. Dalton completed over 64 percent of his passes but also had three turnovers as the Texans won the game, 31–10.
During his rookie season, Dalton had four wins featuring fourth-quarter comebacks (vs.
Buffalo, at
Jacksonville
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
, at
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, and vs. Cleveland). He became the first quarterback in NFL history not drafted in the first round to start all 16 games of his rookie season. Dalton became just one of five rookie quarterbacks with over 3,000 passing yards and at least 20 touchdown passes, joining fellow rookie
Cam Newton
Cameron Jerrell Newton (born May 11, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Carolina Panthers. He is the NFL le ...
and also
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the In ...
,
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. ( ; born September 15, 1961) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He played college f ...
, and
Charlie Conerly.
At the end of the season, Dalton received the Emerging Player Award from the
NFL Players Association during the NFLPA PULSE Awards. The other nominees for the award were
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...
quarterback Cam Newton,
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
tight end
Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American professional American football, football tight end. He was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft. Graham has also been a member of the Seattle Seahawks, G ...
,
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
tight end
Rob Gronkowski
Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former professional American football, football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the Ne ...
, and Lions defensive tackle
Ndamukong Suh
Ndamukong Ngwa Suh ( , born January 6, 1987) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers football ...
.
Dalton was named initially as a
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
Alternate in his first year, and was added to the
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...
(AFC) Pro Bowl roster after the Patriots won the AFC Championship, forcing
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New Engla ...
to withdraw. Dalton and Newton became the first pair of rookie quarterbacks to make the Pro Bowl in the same season.
2012 season
During Week 2, Dalton guided the Bengals to a 34–27 victory over the Browns. He completed 24 of 31 passes for 318 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, for a 128.2
passer rating
Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leagu ...
. In the next game against the
Washington Redskins
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East ...
, Dalton completed 19-of-27 passes for 328 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, for a season-high 132.9 passer rating, in leading the Bengals to a 38–31 road victory. Furthermore, he lined up as a wide receiver on the first play from scrimmage of the game, acting as a decoy while
wildcat
The wildcat is a species complex comprising two small wild cat species: the European wildcat (''Felis silvestris'') and the African wildcat (''F. lybica''). The European wildcat inhabits forests in Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, while th ...
quarterback
Mohamed Sanu threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to A. J. Green, then again flanked as a receiver while
BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed for a touchdown via a direct snap. The following week against the
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. The team ...
, Dalton threw for 244 yards and had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in leading the Bengals to a 27–10 road victory.
On October 14, 2012, Dalton threw for a career-high 381 yards to go with three touchdowns against the Browns, but also threw three interceptions as the Bengals lost 34–24. This was the second game in what would become a four-game losing streak. Dalton and the Bengals rebounded by defeating the
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
by a score of 31–13. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 199 yards and a season-high four touchdowns, attaining a 127.6 passer rating and a season-high 94.5
QBR. For his performance against the Giants, Dalton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career. In the next game against the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
, Dalton completed 18 of 29 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns thrown (a 109.8 passer rating) while adding a rushing touchdown in the 28–6 road victory.
On November 25, 2012, in a much-hyped game with the Raiders due to the return of former Bengals quarterback
Carson Palmer to Cincinnati, Dalton outperformed Palmer by throwing for 210 yards and three touchdowns, achieving a 109.0 passer rating, and leading the Bengals to a 34–10 victory. In the fourth quarter, an unnecessary roughness penalty by
Lamarr Houston on Dalton was one part of a sequence of events leading to the ejections of
Andrew Whitworth,
Tommy Kelly, and Houston from the game. With his performance, Dalton became one of three players in NFL history with at least 20 touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons, joining
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the In ...
and
Dan Marino
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. ( ; born September 15, 1961) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He played college f ...
.
In two of the next three following weeks, Dalton's mobility proved to be valuable as he scrambled for the go-ahead touchdown runs in victories over the
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
and
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The team plays its ...
. On December 23, 2012, against the
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
, his 21-yard pass to
A. J. Green with fourteen seconds remaining set up the game-winning field goal, propelling the Bengals to a 13–10 road victory and a second consecutive berth in the
NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs is the annual single-elimination tournament held to determine the National Football League, league champion. The four-round tournament is held after the league's regular season. Since the 2020 NFL seaso ...
. This game marked the first time Dalton was able to defeat the divisional rival Steelers, and the first time the Bengals made the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 1981–1982. The following week, Dalton threw for a touchdown and a 101.5 quarterback rating in one half of play in a 23–17 victory over the
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...
. This marked his first victory over the divisional rival Ravens and capped a 10–6 regular-season record.
On January 5, 2013, Dalton and the Bengals faced the Texans in the
Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs. In a defensive struggle with neither Dalton nor Texans quarterback
Matt Schaub able to pass for a touchdown, the Bengals lost 19–13, the second consecutive year the Bengals fell to the Texans in the opening round of the playoffs. With 2:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, Dalton overthrew an open A. J. Green for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown.
2013 season
In the season opener against the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
, Dalton completed 26 of 33 passes for a career-high 78.8 completion percentage, 282 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 91.8
QBR as the Bengals lost on the road by a score of 24–21. In the next game, he threw for 280 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals beat the Steelers by a score of 20–10. The following week, Dalton completed 20 of 28 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception for a 105.5 passer rating in leading the Bengals to a 34–30 victory over the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
.
On October 13, 2013, after two games without a touchdown pass (in a loss at the Browns and a victory over the Patriots), Dalton rebounded by completing 26 of 40 passes for 337 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception for a 105.9 passer rating in a 27–24 overtime road victory over the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
. For his efforts in that game, Dalton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. In the next game, he completed 24 of 34 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns for a 92.8 QBR and a 135.9 passer rating in leading the Bengals to a 27–24 road victory over the Lions. The following week, Dalton completed 19 of 30 passes for 325 yards, a career-high five touchdowns, and an interception in merely three quarters of play for a 125.7 passer rating and a career-high 98.9 QBR in a 49–9 victory over the
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
. At the end of October, Dalton was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
On October 31, 2013, Dalton began another difficult two-game stretch. He passed for 338 yards against the
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Dolphins compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team ...
but also had three interceptions, most critically one that bounced off the hands of Mohamed Sanu that if caught by Sanu likely would have sealed a victory for the Bengals, who ended up losing on the road by a score of 22–20 in overtime; Dalton was sacked by
Cameron Wake in the end zone in overtime for a safety to end the game. In the next game against the Ravens, Dalton passed for 274 yards and two touchdowns, most notably a 51-yard
Hail Mary
The Hail Mary or Ave Maria (from its first words in Latin), also known as the Angelic or Angelical Salutation, is a traditional Catholic prayer addressing Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical passages featured in the ...
touchdown pass against the wind to A. J. Green as time expired in regulation but also had three interceptions as the Bengals lost on the road in overtime by a score of 20–17. Dalton continued his struggles against the Browns, as he threw two interceptions in the first quarter. However, he rebounded to throw three consecutive touchdowns as the Bengals won by a score of 41–20. After an early interception at the Chargers, Dalton again rebounded by passing for 149 yards and a touchdown in the second half as the Bengals won on the road by a score of 17–10.
On December 8, 2013, Dalton continued his upswing. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 275 yards and four total touchdowns against the Colts, attaining an 89.2 QBR and 120.5 passer rating in a 42–28 victory. Although the Bengals lost at the Steelers the following week, Dalton was able to pass for 230 yards and two touchdowns while overcoming six dropped passes by his receivers. For the second time in the 2013 season, he earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Dalton continued his December success the following week by completing 27 of 38 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns for a 92.0 QBR and a career-high 136.5 passer rating in a 42–14 victory over the
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...
. With this game, Dalton and the Bengals became the 2013
AFC North
The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the NFL realign ...
Division Champions and Dalton had earned his third consecutive berth to the
NFL playoffs
The National Football League (NFL) playoffs is the annual single-elimination tournament held to determine the National Football League, league champion. The four-round tournament is held after the league's regular season. Since the 2020 NFL seaso ...
, becoming just one of five NFL quarterbacks to make the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. While the Bengals beat the Ravens 34–17 the following week, Dalton struggled, scoring three total touchdowns and passing for 281 yards but also four interceptions.
Dalton finished the regular season with 4,293 passing yards for 34 passing touchdowns, 20 interceptions, and an 88.8 passer rating. His passing yards and touchdowns were both career highs and Bengals single-season franchise records. In the Bengals' wildcard playoff game against the Chargers, Dalton threw his first NFL postseason touchdown pass. However, he also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, on three consecutive possessions in the second half, as the Bengals lost by a score of 27–10. After the game, Dalton was heavily criticized for his poor play and consistent failure to advance in the playoffs. In his eight 2013 primetime (
SNF SNF may refer to:
Organizations
* National League of Sweden (previously ''Sveriges Nationella Förbund''), youth organisation
* SNF Floerger, polyacrylamide manufacturer
* Somali National Front, a political armed movement
* Stavros Niarchos Fou ...
,
MNF,
TNF,
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
), and/or
AFC North
The American Football Conference – Northern Division or AFC North is one of the four Division (sport), divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). The division was created after the NFL realign ...
intradivisional games, Dalton completed 192 of 349 passes (55.0 completion percentage) for 2,036 passing yards, 5.83 yards per attempt, 11 passing touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and a 63.6 passer rating. In his other nine games of 2013, Dalton completed 200 of 288 passes (69.4 completion percentage) for 2,594 passing yards, 9.01 yards per attempt, 23 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 114 passer rating. Such performances have raised doubt about whether Dalton is a "big-game" quarterback.
2014 season
On August 4, 2014, Dalton received a six-year extension that could be worth as much as $115 million, with team performance-based incentives.
During the season-opening 23–16 victory over the Ravens, Dalton threw the game-winning 77-yard touchdown pass to A. J. Green. It was Dalton's first win on the road against the Ravens. During a Week 3 33–7 victory over the Titans, he caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Mohamed Sanu. It was the first time a quarterback had caught a touchdown pass since former Chiefs quarterback
Tyler Thigpen
Tyler Beckham Thigpen (born April 14, 1984) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback. Thigpen was selected out of Coastal Carolina University by the Minnesota Vikings in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL draft. ...
caught a 37-yard pass from wide receiver
Mark Bradley in 2008. Dalton was the first quarterback ever to catch a touchdown pass for the Bengals.
Following the Bengals' first loss of the 2014 season against the Patriots, the Bengals were involved in a tie for the second time in the past seven seasons. With the score tied at 37 in overtime against the Panthers, Dalton completed five of seven passes for 49 yards, but kicker Mike Nugent pushed the field goal wide right. Dalton threw for a season-high 323 yards, along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. This was followed by a meager 126 yards in a shutout road loss to the Colts. In the second match-up against the Ravens in Game 7, Dalton led an 80-yard drive in the games' final four minutes and ran in a quarterback sneak from one yard out to give the Bengals a 27–24 victory, his second game-winning drive of the season, both against Baltimore. Following a win over the Jaguars, the Bengals reached the season midpoint at 5–2–1.
Dalton had a historically terrible performance against the Browns in Week 9, where he completed 10 of 33 passes for 86 total yards with three interceptions to earn a 2.0 passer rating, the lowest by an NFL quarterback with 25 pass attempts since 2004 and the 11th lowest in history. He responded with 220 yards and three touchdowns for a season-best rating of 143.9 in a 27–10 road victory over the Saints, and his first career win in four attempts against the Texans in Week 11. During Week 12 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
, Dalton rebounded from three first-half interceptions to run for a touchdown and throw for another in a 14–13 road victory. It marked the fourth consecutive year that Dalton had won three games against the
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference (NFC) is a conference of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference (AFC), each h ...
, extending his record to 12–3–1 against the opposite conference. The Bengals lost in Week 13 to the Steelers despite Dalton's solid 128.8 rating and 20-yard touchdown run (the longest ever by a Bengals quarterback), then shut out Cleveland despite his 53.6 rating. Two weeks later, Dalton threw two touchdowns and an interception in a 37–28 win over the Broncos to help the Bengals clinch a playoff berth for a franchise-record fourth straight year. In the regular-season finale against the Steelers, Dalton threw two first-half interceptions but led an 89-yard fourth-quarter drive capped by a five-yard touchdown pass to
Jermaine Gresham to cut the deficit to 20–17, but despite a streak of 11 of 12 passes for 101 yards, A. J. Green fumbled inside Steelers territory to seal the 27–17 loss and a #5 wild card seed in the playoffs.
Playing without many of his offensive weapons against the Colts on the road in the
Wild Card Round, Dalton led the Bengals to their fourth straight playoff loss by a score of 26–10, with a 155-yard, no touchdown, no interception effort.
On January 20, 2015, it was announced that Dalton was selected to the
2015 Pro Bowl
The 2015 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2014 season. It began at 6 pm local time on January 25 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and it was the first Pro Bowl to be held outside Ha ...
, his second
Pro Bowl
The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (since 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's All-star, star players.
The format has changed ...
appearance, replacing
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Charles Rodgers (born December 2, 1983) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears foo ...
of the Packers, who declined to participate due to injury. Dalton completed nine of 20 passes for 69 yards.
2015 season

The Bengals began the 2015 season on a historic winning streak. In the season-opening 33–13 road victory over the Raiders, Dalton threw his 100th career touchdown pass, which was to tight end
Tyler Eifert, in the second quarter. Dalton finished the game with 269 passing yards and two touchdowns. In the next game, Dalton threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns in a 24–19 defeat of the Chargers. It marked the fourth straight home-opening win for the Bengals and the 15th three-touchdown performance for Dalton. He threw for a career-high 383 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3 against the Ravens, 321 yards in Week 4 against the Chiefs, and 331 yards in a Week 5 game where Dalton also threw two touchdowns and ran for one as he led the Bengals back from a fourth-quarter 24–7 deficit to a 27–24 overtime win over the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. This was the second-biggest comeback in franchise history. During a Week 6 34–21 road victory over the Bills, Dalton completed 22 of 33 passes for 243 yards with three touchdowns. Dalton was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. Following a bye week, Dalton led the Bengals to another fourth-quarter comeback against the Steelers on the road. The 16–10 win gave the Bengals their first 7–0 start in franchise history. They extended this to 8–0 with Dalton's 139.8 passer rating in a victory over the Browns.
Dalton failed to reach 200 yards passing for the first time in a Week 9 10–6 loss to the Texans. In the next game against
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...
, he threw for 315 yards and led two scoring drives in less than four minutes in the late fourth quarter to tie the game, the Bengals lost on the road by a score of 34–31. Dalton bounced back with three touchdowns and a 121.4 rating in a Week 11 31–7 victory over the
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1995 through the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, California, where the team had played ...
, and a career-high passer rating of 146.8 in a Week 12 37–3 road victory over the Browns. During Week 13, Dalton fractured the thumb on his throwing hand while tackling
Stephon Tuitt after an intercepted
shovel pass, missing the season's final three games (replacement
A. J. McCarron was 2–1 with a 97.1 passer rating).
Dalton finished the year with 3,250 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was the first Bengal ever to throw for more than 20 touchdown passes with fewer than 10 interceptions in franchise history. Dalton's 106.2 passer rating ranked No. 2 and his 8.4 yards per attempt ranked No. 3 among NFL quarterbacks in 2015. He was ranked 35th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.
The Bengals' season ended when they lost to the Steelers by a score of 18–16 in the AFC
Wild Card Round. Dalton had the cast for his broken thumb removed five days before the game, but did not play.
2016 season
Dalton began the 2016 season with back-to-back 366 yard games, overcoming seven sacks for a 55-yard game-winning drive in the 23–22 road victory over the Jets in Week 1, but losing on the road 24–16 in Week 2 to the Steelers. After an off-night of 206 yards, zero touchdowns, and an interception in a 29–17 loss to the Broncos, Dalton completed 69.5% of his passes for 1,127 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions in four straight 100+ passer rating games. Despite a middle-of-the-pack 89.7 rating through 13 games, Dalton had been sacked a league-leading 32 times and the Bengals were 3–7–1 and out of the playoffs. Dalton had 332 yards and a 130.0 passer rating in a Week 13 32–14 victory over the Eagles, but averaged just 208 yards over the season's last four games. The Bengals ended the season with a 6–9–1 record, with Dalton throwing a career-low 18 touchdowns, and second in the league with 41 sacks. However, he recorded over 4,000 passing yards for the second time in his career, had just eight interceptions on 563 attempts, and contributed four rushing touchdowns. Marvin Lewis praised it as "the best campaign of
alton'scareer", and he earned his third Pro Bowl recognition, replacing the Super Bowl-bound
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New Engla ...
.
2017 season
Dalton threw three interceptions in the first half during the home opener against the Ravens in Week 1. Overall, he finished the game with 170 passing yards and had four interceptions as the Bengals were shut out and lost by a score of 20–0. Dalton's four interceptions tied his career high for a single game, with the other instance occurring against the Ravens in a 2013 matchup. Though the Bengals were eliminated from playoff contention by the time of the rematch with Baltimore in Week 17, Dalton threw a game-winning touchdown pass to
Tyler Boyd with 44 seconds left in the game, eliminating the Ravens from the postseason and allowing the Bills to clinch their first playoff berth since 1999. In the Bengals' 7–9 season, Dalton started all 16 games and finished with 3,320 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
2018 season
During Week 2, Dalton threw four touchdown passes in the home-opener against the division rival Ravens. All four touchdowns were in the first half, three of them were caught by
A. J. Green. The Bengals went on to win 34–23. During Week 12 against the Browns, Dalton suffered a thumb injury in the fourth quarter and did not return. It was revealed that he suffered torn ligaments in the thumb and was placed on
injured reserve
The injured reserve list ( IR list) is a designation used in North American professional sports leagues for athletes who suffer injuries and become unable to play. The exact name of the list varies by league; it is known as "injured reserve" in ...
on November 26, 2018. In 11 games in the 2018 season, Dalton finished with 2,566 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.
2019 season

During Week 1 against the Seahawks, Dalton threw for a career-high 418 yards and two touchdowns in the 20–21 loss. Following an 0–8 start to the season, Bengals head coach
Zac Taylor
Zachary William Taylor (born May 10, 1983) is an American professional football coach who is the head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. Beginning his NFL career as an offensive assistant, Taylor was the quarterba ...
announced that he would bench Dalton and start rookie
Ryan Finley. After three games and losses with Finley, Dalton was renamed the starting quarterback on November 25, 2019, for their upcoming game against the Jets. In the game, he threw for 243 yards and a touchdown as the Bengals won their first game of the season by a score of 22–6. In Week 15 against the Patriots, Dalton threw for 151 yards, a touchdown, and four interceptions during the 34–13 loss. This was Dalton's fourth career game with four interceptions. During a Week 16 road matchup against the Dolphins, he threw for 396 yards and four touchdowns. Dalton scored 16 points in the final 29 seconds of regulation to force an overtime that the Bengals ultimately lost 38–35 to clinch the NFL's worst record. In the regular-season finale against the Browns, Dalton threw for 190 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. In addition, he had eight carries for 10 yards and a touchdown during the 33–23 win. After the game, Dalton said that if it was his last game as a Bengal, "It was good to end it taking a knee." Dalton appeared in 13 games in the 2019 season and recorded 3,494 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
On April 30, 2020, after nine seasons with the franchise, the Bengals released Dalton after selecting
Joe Burrow
Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes football, O ...
as the first overall pick in the
2020 NFL draft.
Dallas Cowboys
On May 2, 2020, Dalton signed a one-year contract with the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
worth $7 million to be
Dak Prescott's backup for the season.
On October 11, 2020, Dalton replaced an injured Prescott in Week 5 against the Giants. Dalton finished with 111 passing yards as the Cowboys won 37–34. Dalton was named the starting quarterback for the Cowboys going forward due to Prescott's season ending injury. Dalton made his first start in Week 6 against the Cardinals on ''
Monday Night Football
''Monday Night Football'' (often abbreviated as ''MNF'') is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League (NFL) games that air on Monday nights. It originally ran on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from 1970 NFL season, 1970 t ...
''. During the game, Dalton threw for 266 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions during the 38–10 loss.
During a Week 7 25–3 road loss to the
Washington Football Team
The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
, Dalton suffered a concussion after a late hit by
Jon Bostic
Jonathan Earl Bostic II (born May 5, 1991) is an American former professional American football, football linebacker. He played college football at Florida Gators football, Florida and was selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of th ...
. On November 3, 2020, Dalton was placed on the reserve/
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
list after testing positive for the virus. Dalton was activated from the list on November 18, 2020, in time for the Cowboys' Week 11 matchup against the Vikings. Against the Vikings, Dalton threw for 203 yards and three touchdowns, including one to
Dalton Schultz with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, as the Cowboys beat the Vikings on the road by a score of 31–28.
During Week 14 against his former team, the Bengals, Dalton threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns during the 30–7 road victory. Two weeks later against the Eagles, Dalton threw for 377 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception during the 37–17 victory. In 11 games and 9 starts, Dalton finished the season with 2,169 yards, 14 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions as the Cowboys finished with a 6–10 record.
Chicago Bears
On March 17, 2021, the Bears signed Dalton to a one-year contract worth $10 million, and up to $13 million in incentives. Dalton started the first two games before suffering a knee injury. He was then relegated to the backup quarterback after
Justin Fields was named the starter. Against the Ravens in Week 11, Dalton entered the game in the third quarter after Fields left the game with a rib injury. Dalton threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns as the Bears lost 13–16. In the 2021 season, Dalton passed for 1,512 yards, eight touchdowns, and nine interceptions in eight games.
New Orleans Saints
On March 29, 2022, Dalton signed a one-year contract with the Saints. Dalton was named the starter in the Saints' Week 4 matchup against the Vikings in London following injuries to
Jameis Winston. Dalton completed 20 of his 28 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown in the 28–25 loss. In Week 7 against the Cardinals, Dalton passed for 361 yards and four touchdowns but had three interceptions, including two pick-sixes, in the 42–34 loss. After the game head coach
Dennis Allen announced Dalton would be the starter for the remainder of the season over Winston. Dalton appeared in 14 games and finished with 2,871 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and nine interceptions as the Saints went 7–10.
Carolina Panthers
2023 season
On March 15, 2023, Dalton signed a two-year contract worth up to $10 million with the Panthers. Dalton was named the starter for the team during the offseason; however he was beaten out by
Bryce Young
Bryce Young (born July 25, 2001) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Alabama Crimson Tide football, Alabama Crims ...
, the first-overall draft pick, a few days before the preseason.
Dalton got his first start with the team on September 24, 2023, after Young went down with an injury a week prior. He went on to pass for 361 yards and two touchdowns in a 27–37 loss against the
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The club entered the NFL a ...
. His 58 pass attempts were the most for any quarterback in a single game during the 2023 regular season. Week 3 was Dalton's lone significant playing time in the 2023 season.
2024 season
On September 16, 2024, after the Panthers fell to 0–2 and Young continued to struggle, Dalton was named the starting quarterback. In his first start against the Las Vegas Raiders, Dalton threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Panthers to scores on seven of their 12 possessions as they won 36–22. On October 22, Dalton and his family were involved in a car accident.
No one in the vehicle required emergency medical transport, but Dalton sustained an injury to the thumb on his throwing hand, ruling him out for the Panthers' Week 8 matchup against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...
. Although Dalton recovered, Young remained the Panthers' starter for the rest of the season.
2025 season
On February 18, 2025, Dalton signed another two-year contract extension with the Panthers, making it his third season with the team. His contract is worth $8 million and has a maximum value of $10 million.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Bengals franchise records
* Completions: playoff game (29 on January 5, 2014, against the Chargers), rookie season (300 in 2011)
* Pass attempts: playoff game (51 on January 5, 2014, against the Chargers), rookie season (516 in 2011)
* Passing yards: rookie season (3,398 in 2011)
* Passing TDs: rookie season (20 in 2011)
* Intercepted: playoffs (6), playoff season (3 in 2011), playoff game (3 on January 7, 2012, against the Texans)
* 300+ yard passing games: season (5 in 2013, with
Joe Burrow
Joseph Lee Burrow (born December 10, 1996) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes football, O ...
, 2021)
* 4,000+ passing yard seasons: career (2; with
Carson Palmer and Joe Burrow)
Personal life
Dalton is a
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
. He has spoken about his faith, saying, "Not very many people get a chance to play in the NFL. To start—and start as a rookie—I feel so blessed. So many things had to fall right to be where I am. I thank God every day." Dalton says one of his favorite
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
verses is
1 Peter 5:6.
On July 9, 2011, Dalton married his longtime girlfriend, Jordan Jones, whom he met at TCU. In July 2014, Jones gave birth to the couple's first son. Their second son was born in March 2017. Their third child, a daughter, was born in January 2019.
Dalton and his wife founded the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation, which aims to help families and children in need. After Dalton helped the Bengals defeat the Ravens 31–27 in Week 17 of the 2017 season, which allowed the Buffalo Bills to enter the playoffs, many Bills fans donated to his foundation in gratitude for helping their team snap their 17-year playoff drought. In less than a week, donations exceeded $360,000 from over 16,000 donors. Most donations were in the amount of $17, which symbolized the 17-year playoff drought that ended with the Bengals' victory over the Ravens. Dalton and his wife thanked Buffalo Bills fans by renting five billboards in the Buffalo area that read "Thank you, Buffalo, and good luck."
He has been nicknamed the "Red Rifle," a reference to both his throwing arm strength and his hair color.
See also
*
List of Division I FBS passing yardage leaders
*
List of National Football League career passing yards leaders
*
List of National Football League career passing touchdowns leaders
*
List of National Football League quarterback playoff records
References
External links
*
Carolina Panthers bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dalton, Andy
1987 births
Living people
American Christians
American Conference Pro Bowl players
American football quarterbacks
American philanthropists
Carolina Panthers players
Chicago Bears players
Cincinnati Bengals players
Dallas Cowboys players
New Orleans Saints players
Players of American football from Cincinnati
Players of American football from Katy, Texas
TCU Horned Frogs football players
Unconferenced Pro Bowl players