Andy Dalton

#14 · Carolina Panthers

15 Years

293 Pass Yds

1 TDs

1 INTs

1 Total TDs

Questions about Andy Dalton or the Panthers?

Andy Dalton Today

HEYTC AI

Andy Dalton enters the 2026 offseason as Carolina's veteran backup after a season where he saw minimal playing time behind breakout second-year QB Bryce Young. The 38-year-old is facing an uncertain future with the Panthers, listed as both a potential contract casualty ($4 million cap hit) and retirement candidate heading into free agency on March 11. With Young's ankle sprain now healed and GM Dan Morgan expressing confidence in the young signal-caller, Dalton's role appears diminished—though Morgan indicated interest in developing another young quarterback to back up Young rather than relying solely on the veteran. At HeyTC's #77-ranked quarterback, Dalton's value to Carolina seems primarily insurance-based at this point, making his 2026 status a likely casualty of the team's youth movement as they look to build around their emerging franchise QB.

Andy Dalton Rating Breakdown

Season

Subpar

Fantasy

Subpar

Playoffs

Subpar

Overall

Cooked

3 years with the Panthers

Andy Dalton Contract & Salary

Status Free Agent

Free Agent 2025

Andy Dalton 2025 Stats via ESPN

293 Pass Yards

1 Pass TDs

1 INTs

67.6% Comp %

6.5 HAIR

89.1 Passer Rtg

7.9 Y/A

4 Games

Andy Dalton Career Timeline

HEYTC AI

2025 1

Approaches 40,000 career passing yards milestone

By the end of the 2025 season, Dalton had amassed 39,793 career passing yards from 2011–2025, placing him in the top 25 all-time in NFL passing yards and cementing his status as one of the league’s most productive long-term starters and backups.

2023 1

Signs multi-year deal with Carolina Panthers as veteran backup

Dalton signed with the Carolina Panthers on a multi-year contract to serve as a veteran backup and mentor to rookie first overall pick Bryce Young, starting when needed and extending his NFL career into a third decade.

2022 1

Signs with New Orleans Saints and starts extended stretch

In 2022 Dalton signed with the New Orleans Saints, initially as a backup, but he was elevated to starter for much of the season, adding another team to his journeyman veteran résumé.

2021 1

Joins Chicago Bears on short-term deal

Dalton signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears in 2021, opening the season as the starter before ceding the job to rookie Justin Fields and finishing the year in a veteran bridge role.

2020 1

Signs with Dallas Cowboys after Bengals tenure

After nine seasons with Cincinnati, Dalton signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 to serve as a veteran backup, later starting multiple games when Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury.

2015 1

Career-best Bengals season and thumb injury

Dalton led the Bengals to one of their best regular seasons in franchise history in 2015 and was in the MVP conversation before suffering a fractured right thumb in December, which kept him out of the postseason and derailed Cincinnati’s Super Bowl hopes.

2011 2

Leads Bengals to Playoffs and Pro Bowl as a Rookie

In his rookie season, Dalton started all 16 games, led the Bengals to an AFC Wild Card playoff berth, and earned his first Pro Bowl selection, establishing himself as a successful young starter in the league.

Drafted by Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2011 NFL Draft as a second-round pick (#35 overall), quickly winning the starting quarterback job and beginning a nine-year tenure with the team highlighted by multiple playoff appearances.

15 years in the NFL