Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American professional football quarterback. Nicknamed "the Red Rifle", he played college football for the TCU Horned Frogs, winning MW Offensive Player of the Year twice and becoming the school's leader in quarterback wins. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.
In his nine-year tenure with the Bengals, Dalton led the team to five consecutive playoff appearances from 2011 to 2015 and received three Pro Bowl 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 early regular season success, Dalton went winless in the postseason and was released after four consecutive losing seasons, with the Bengals drafting Joe Burrow to replace him. He became a journeyman quarterback afterwards, playing for the Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles, spending three years with Carolina and a year or less with the other teams.
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Early life
Dalton attended Katy High School in Katy, Texas, where he played for the Tigers football 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.
College career
Dalton committed to Texas Christian University on October 19, 2005.
2006 and 2007 seasons
Dalton was redshirted 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 the Baylor Bears, TCU head coach Gary Patterson named Dalton the starter. He was named the 2007 Texas Bowl MVP in TCU's 20–13 victory over the Houston Cougars. 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 and seventh in the national AP Poll. He was named the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl MVP in the Horned Frogs' 17–16 win over the Boise State Broncos. 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 the Boise State Broncos. 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 as TCU's all-time wins leader. Against the Baylor Bears, Dalton completed 21 of 23 pass attempts (a career-best and single-game record 91.3%) for 267 yards and two touchdowns. His team won a second consecutive Mountain West Conference Championship. On January 1, 2011, Dalton led his team to a 21–19 victory over the #4 Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. His TCU football team finished the season with a perfect 13–0 record and #2 ranking in the AP Poll. The only other team with a perfect record, the Auburn Tigers, won the BCS National Championship 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 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).
Professional career
Cincinnati Bengals
On April 29, 2011, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Dalton in the second round, as the 35th overall pick, in the 2011 NFL draft. 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, demanded to be traded or released and was traded later in the season to the Oakland Raiders. 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, before their first pre-season game against the Detroit Lions, Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis 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, on the road against the Cleveland Browns. 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 of 102.4. The Bengals won the game, 27–17, Dalton's first divisional AFC North 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. 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, 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, 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 in a comeback 24–17 victory, earning him 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.
Dallas Cowboys
On May 2, 2020, Dalton signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys 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 New York 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 Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football. 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, Dalton suffered a concussion after a late hit by Jon Bostic. On November 3, 2020, Dalton was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 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 Minnesota 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 Cincinnati Bengals, Dalton threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns during the 30–7 road victory. Two weeks later against the Philadelphia 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 Chicago 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 Baltimore 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 New Orleans Saints. Dalton was named the starter in the Saints' Week 4 matchup against the Minnesota 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 Arizona 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
On March 15, 2023, Dalton signed a two-year contract worth up to $10 million with the Carolina Panthers. Dalton was named the starter for the team during the offseason; however he was beaten out by Bryce Young, 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. 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.
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. Although Dalton recovered, Young remained the Panthers' starter for the rest of the 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 was worth $8 million and has a maximum value of $10 million. During the Panthers week 2 preseason game against the Houston Texans, Dalton would leave late in the first quarter early due to an elbow injury sustained when he was hit by Texans linebacker Danielle Hunter. Dalton appeared in four games in the 2025 season, passing for 293 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He made one start, which came in a Week 8 loss against the Buffalo Bills.
Philadelphia Eagles
On March 24, 2026, Dalton was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2027 seventh-round pick.
After competing with Tanner McKee for the role, Dalton was named the backup quarterback to Jalen Hurts. He briefly entered the Eagles' Week 3 matchup against the Bears while Hurts was being evaluated for a concussion, but his lone pass attempt was intercepted in the end zone by Dillon Thieneman.
On October 9, 2026, Dalton was released by the Eagles.
Career statistics
Career highlights
3× Pro Bowl (2011, 2014, 2016)
Ranked No. 35 in the Top 100 Players of 2016
2× MW Offensive Player of the Year (2009, 2010)
2× First-team All-MW (2009, 2010)
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, 2021)
4,000+ passing yard seasons: career (2; with Carson Palmer and Joe Burrow)
Personal life
Dalton is a Christian. On July 9, 2011, he 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 Cincinnati Bengals defeat the Baltimore 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.