History of Andy Dalton in Timeline

Andrew Gregory "Andy" Dalton is an American professional football quarterback currently playing for the Philadelphia Eagles. Known as "the Red Rifle," he achieved significant success at Texas Christian University (TCU), earning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year twice and becoming TCU's all-time leader in quarterback wins. Dalton was drafted into the NFL by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1981: Bengals Consecutive Playoff Appearances

In 1981, the Bengals had one of the seasons that contributed to a comparison point with Andy Dalton's 2012 season. The Bengals made the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1981-1982.

1982: Bengals Consecutive Playoff Appearances

In 1982, the Bengals had one of the seasons that contributed to a comparison point with Andy Dalton's 2012 season. The Bengals made the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1981-1982.

October 29, 1987: Birth of Andrew Gregory Dalton

On October 29, 1987, Andrew Gregory Dalton, later nicknamed "the Red Rifle", was born. He would become a professional football quarterback.

1999: Bills clinch first playoff berth since 1999

In Week 17, Andy 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 Buffalo Bills to clinch their first playoff berth since 1999.

2003: Carson Palmer Drafted

In 2003, Carson Palmer was drafted as the first overall draft pick, leading to his demand to be traded or released after Andy Dalton's arrival.

2004: Lowest passer rating since 2004

During Week 9, Andy Dalton had a historically terrible performance against the Cleveland Browns. 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.

2004: Splitting time as a junior

In 2004, Andy Dalton split time as a junior while playing for the Katy High School football team.

October 19, 2005: Committed to TCU

On October 19, 2005, Andy Dalton committed to play football at Texas Christian University (TCU), marking an important step in his college career.

2005: Led Katy High to State Finals

In 2005, as a senior quarterback for Katy High School, Andy Dalton led the team to the state finals. He threw for 2,877 yards with 42 touchdowns and was named the Greater Houston Area offensive player of the year by the Houston Chronicle.

2007: Named TCU Starting Quarterback and Texas Bowl MVP

In 2007, Andy Dalton was named the starting quarterback for TCU and led them to a victory in the Texas Bowl against the Houston Cougars, earning MVP honors. He finished the season with 2,459 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.

2008: Leads TCU to 11-2 Record

In 2008, Andy Dalton led TCU to an 11-2 record, finishing second in the Mountain West Conference and seventh in the national AP Poll. He was named the Poinsettia Bowl MVP, finishing the season with 2,242 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.

2008: Tyler Thigpen catches a 37-yard pass for a touchdown

In 2008, Tyler Thigpen, then quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Mark Bradley.

2009: Perfect Regular Season with TCU

In 2009, Andy Dalton led the TCU 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 team however lost 17-10 in the Fiesta Bowl to Boise State. He finished the season with 2,756 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

September 4, 2010: TCU All-Time Wins Leader

On September 4, 2010, Andy Dalton recorded his 30th victory as the Horned Frogs starting quarterback, passing Sammy Baugh as TCU's all-time wins leader, marking a significant milestone in his college career.

January 1, 2011: Rose Bowl Victory

On January 1, 2011, Andy Dalton led TCU to a 21-19 victory over the #4 Wisconsin Badgers in the Rose Bowl, completing a perfect 13-0 season and finishing with a #2 ranking in the AP Poll. He finished the 2010 season with 2,857 passing yards and 27 touchdowns.

April 29, 2011: Drafted by Cincinnati Bengals

On April 29, 2011, Andy Dalton was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round, as the 35th overall pick, in the 2011 NFL draft, marking the start of his professional career.

June 29, 2011: Signed by Bengals

On June 29, 2011, Andy Dalton signed a four-year, $5.21 million rookie contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, which included a $2.29 million signing bonus and $4.02 million guaranteed.

July 9, 2011: Marriage to Jordan Jones

On July 9, 2011, Andy Dalton married his longtime girlfriend, Jordan Jones, whom he met at TCU.

2011: Dalton's Early Success with the Bengals

From 2011 to 2015, Andy Dalton led the Cincinnati Bengals to five consecutive playoff appearances and received three Pro Bowl selections. He and A.J. Green set records for a rookie quarterback/receiver combination in his first season. Also by 2015, Dalton had set Bengals franchise records for passing touchdowns, single-season passing yards, and single-season passing touchdowns.

2011: Drafted by Cincinnati Bengals

In 2011, Andy Dalton was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the NFL draft. During his first season, he and A.J. Green set records as a rookie quarterback/receiver combination.

January 7, 2012: First NFL Playoff Start

On January 7, 2012, Andy Dalton started in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs against the Houston Texans, marking the first time in NFL playoff history that two rookie quarterbacks started against each other. The Texans won, 31-10.

October 14, 2012: Career High in Passing Yards

On October 14, 2012, Andy Dalton threw for a career-high 381 yards and three touchdowns against the Browns, but also threw three interceptions in a 34-24 loss. This game marked the second in a four-game losing streak.

January 5, 2013: Playoff Loss to Texans

On January 5, 2013, Andy Dalton and the Bengals lost to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs by a score of 19-13, marking the second consecutive year the Bengals fell to the Texans in the opening round of the playoffs. Dalton overthrew a pass to an open A.J. Green in the fourth quarter.

October 13, 2013: Named AFC Offensive Player of the Week

On October 13, 2013, Andy Dalton rebounded from previous games, completing 26 of 40 passes for 337 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception for a 105.9 passer rating in an overtime road victory over the Buffalo Bills, earning him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

October 31, 2013: Loss to the Dolphins

On October 31, 2013, Andy Dalton passed for 338 yards against the Miami Dolphins but also threw three interceptions, including one that bounced off Mohamed Sanu's hands, resulting in a 22-20 overtime loss for the Bengals.

December 8, 2013: Victory over the Colts

On December 8, 2013, Andy Dalton completed 24 of 35 passes for 275 yards and four total touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts, earning an 89.2 QBR and 120.5 passer rating in a 42-28 victory.

2013: Tied Career High for Interceptions

During the home opener against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 in 2013, Andy Dalton threw three interceptions in the first half and finished the game with 170 passing yards and four interceptions. Dalton's four interceptions tied his career high for a single game, with the other instance occurring against the Ravens.

2013: Season with Mixed Performance

In the 2013 season, Andy Dalton finished with 4,293 passing yards and 34 touchdowns, both career highs, but also threw 20 interceptions. His performance in primetime and intradivisional games raised questions about his ability as a "big-game" quarterback.

July 2014: Birth of first son

In July 2014, Andy Dalton and his wife, Jordan Jones, welcomed their first son.

August 4, 2014: Contract Extension with Bengals

On August 4, 2014, Andy Dalton received a six-year contract extension with the Bengals that could be worth as much as $115 million, including team performance-based incentives.

2014: Bengals Involved in Tie Game

Following the Bengals' first loss of the 2014 season against the New England 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 Carolina 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.

January 20, 2015: Selected to 2015 Pro Bowl

On January 20, 2015, Andy Dalton was selected to the 2015 Pro Bowl, his second Pro Bowl appearance, replacing Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, who declined to participate due to injury. Dalton completed nine of 20 passes for 69 yards.

2015: Successful 2015 Season

Andy Dalton finished the 2015 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.

2015: End of Playoff Streak

In 2015, Andy Dalton and the Bengals concluded a five-year streak of consecutive playoff appearances.

2015: Bengals Historic Winning Streak

The Bengals began the 2015 season on a historic winning streak. In the season-opening 33–13 road victory over the Oakland 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.

2016: Dalton's 2016 Season Performance

During the 2016 season, Andy Dalton had back-to-back 366 yard 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 Philadelphia Eagles. The Bengals ended the season with a 6–9–1 record. Marvin Lewis praised it as "the best campaign of [Dalton's] career", and he earned his third Pro Bowl recognition, replacing Tom Brady.

2016: Ranked 35th on NFL Top 100 Players of 2016

In 2016, Andy Dalton was ranked 35th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

March 2017: Birth of second son

In March 2017, Andy Dalton and his wife welcomed their second son.

2017: Donations to Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation

In 2017, after Dalton helped the Bengals defeat the Ravens, Bills fans donated to the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation, exceeding $360,000 in less than a week, mostly in $17 increments to honor the Bills' 17-year playoff drought.

November 26, 2018: Placed on injured reserve after thumb injury

On November 26, 2018, after suffering a thumb injury during Week 12 against the Cleveland Browns, Andy Dalton was placed on injured reserve after it was revealed that he suffered torn ligaments in the thumb.

January 2019: Birth of daughter

In January 2019, Andy Dalton and his wife welcomed their third child, a daughter.

November 25, 2019: Dalton Renamed Starting Quarterback

On November 25, 2019, after being benched for three games, Andy Dalton was renamed the starting quarterback for the Bengals, replacing rookie Ryan Finley.

April 30, 2020: Bengals Release Andy Dalton

On April 30, 2020, after nine seasons with the franchise, the Bengals released Andy Dalton after selecting Joe Burrow as the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.

May 2, 2020: Dalton signs with Dallas Cowboys

On May 2, 2020, Andy Dalton signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys worth $7 million to be Dak Prescott's backup for the season.

October 11, 2020: Dalton replaces injured Prescott

On October 11, 2020, Andy Dalton replaced an injured Dak 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.

November 3, 2020: Dalton placed on reserve/COVID-19 list

On November 3, 2020, Andy Dalton was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus.

November 18, 2020: Dalton Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 List

On November 18, 2020, Andy Dalton was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list, in time for the Cowboys' Week 11 matchup against the Vikings.

2020: Release from the Bengals

In 2020, Andy Dalton was released by the Bengals after four consecutive losing seasons, marking a significant change in his career.

March 17, 2021: Dalton Signs with the Chicago Bears

On March 17, 2021, Andy Dalton signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears worth $10 million, and up to $13 million in incentives.

March 29, 2022: Dalton signs with the New Orleans Saints

On March 29, 2022, Andy Dalton signed a one-year contract with the New Orleans Saints.

March 15, 2023: Signed with Carolina Panthers

On March 15, 2023, Andy Dalton signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers for up to $10 million.

September 24, 2023: First start with the Carolina Panthers

On September 24, 2023, Dalton made his first start with the Carolina Panthers after Bryce Young's injury, passing for 361 yards and two touchdowns in a loss against the Seattle Seahawks.

2023: Joins the Carolina Panthers

In 2023, Andy Dalton joined the Carolina Panthers, continuing his NFL career with a new team.

September 16, 2024: Named starting quarterback

On September 16, 2024, Andy Dalton was named the starting quarterback for the Panthers after they fell to 0-2 and Young continued to struggle. Dalton led the Panthers to a 36-22 victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.

February 18, 2025: Contract extension with Panthers

On February 18, 2025, Dalton signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers for $8 million, potentially reaching a maximum value of $10 million.