Andy Dalton

Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American professional football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). 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 before being selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.

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 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, Chicago Bears, and New Orleans Saints for one year each. Dalton joined the Panthers in 2023.

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.

Dalton committed to Texas Christian University on October 19, 2005.

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.

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.

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.